Fate is a Funny Thing
by TooDistracted
Summary: Kirei has abandoned Lancer to re-establish a pact with Gilgamesh. Without a master to supply mana, his physical form begins to fade from the earth's plane. Lancer seeks out Rin, who is contracted to Archer, only to discover Berserker on a rampage! Things are looking grim. That is, until something unexpected happens... WARNING: Rated for violence, language, and lemons later.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I wrote this story because I was upset that the Lancers in the Fate series basically had nothing good happen to them. This story will have very slight crossover features to Fairy Tail but you can easily read it without being familiar with the Fairy Tail anime. Also, this story will not perfectly follow the Fate/Stay Night timeline and will not necessarily follow all the rules of the anime. The story is meant to be fun and is meant to give my favorite Lancer (Cu Chulainn) some of the love he so desperately needs! Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night or Fairy Tail.

 **Fate is a Funny Thing**

Earth cracked and trees splintered under the weight of Berserker's sword as his blow narrowly missed his prey. Saber felt herself get thrown back after she deflected a second killing blow from the giant. Everything hurt. Her legs shook and her sword felt like lead in her arms. Vaguely she could hear Shirou's panicked voice yelling in the background. Ignoring him, she shut out the noise and fixed all her attention on Berserker. Intimidating was the only word Saber could use to accurately describe the giant. He towered above her, his hulking physique nearly blocking out the sun as he advanced. Truly a hero of legend.

"Haha, this is fun!" Illya squealed, clapping her hands together in delight. "I'm impressed you all lasted so long. To think you were able to take six lives between all of you!"

"This is absolute madness," Archer gasped from his position being support by Lancer, his body broken and battered in too many places to count. Hell, he shouldn't even be alive. It was only by the act of the blue spearman that he managed to escape a death dealing blow. Despite the use of Unlimited Blade Works and vast amounts of his own and Rin's mana Archer only managed to take four of Berserker's lives. The other two lives were taken by Lancer and Saber. Archer gritted his teeth at this. Two of the most powerful A-rank servants, Cú Chulainn and Arturia Pendragon, couldn't hold a candle to Berserker in their current states. With the absence of a master to supply mana Lancer was barely clinging to the world and Saber wasn't much better off. _Due to her master being an incompetent fool._

Cú Chulainn remained silent beside Archer, his own breaths coming as sharp, shallow gasps. Berserker had cracked several of his ribs and left multiple deep lacerations across Lancer's body throughout the course of the fight. Blood continued to pour from a gash on his face; the crimson dripping onto his cobalt armor. Lancer was spent. Despite his best efforts, his residual mana was fading quickly along with his remaining strength. His vision started to blur and he unwillingly collapsed, dropping Archer to the ground in the process. _Damn it!_ He thought as an unpleasant numbness began to creep across his body. The world was quickly slipping away despite his efforts to remain materialized.

"Oh no, you don't get to die yet!" He heard Archer shout before the bowman's fist swiftly connected with the side of his jaw. The jolt seemed sufficient to bring him back from the pull of the void. For now, anyway.

"What the hell?" Lancer snapped, more out of principle than anger as his body solidified once again.

"You don't get to die yet," Archer repeated with a growl while struggling to get back on his feet. "We are going to get up and kill that thing. Then you can die."

"Ha. Perhaps you will die first and leave Rin to me," Cú Chulainn shot back, a wicked smirk threatening to spread across his face as he moved to a standing position. Archer merely snorted before following suit.

Fear gripped Rin while she observed the bloody scene unfurling before her. Despite all her training and planning, they had reached the end. _We can't win this._ The color drained from her face at the realization and her stomach churned as she imaged Berserker ripping each of them apart. Collapsing to her knees, Rin buried her face in her hands. Tears stung her eyes. _I have to do something. Come on Rin, think!_ Her hands moved to cover her ears tightly as Saber's cries echoed through the forest. She could hear Shirou as well, his voice drowned out by Saber's screams.

"I… I don't know what to do," Rin finally whispered, tears begining to fall freely. _Please, I need help!_

As if by command, a blinding light surged from her left hand; the hand not decorated by her command seals. Magic power radiated from the source in enormous waves that swept across the forest floor and Rin felt her fear slowly dissipate in the warmth of a very familiar glow. Straining her eyes to see the source she spotted a golden emblem curving gracefully across the back of her hand. An emblem that offered protection from sickness and death to those who bore it.

Time seemed to freeze and the battle between the four great heroic spirits slowed to a halt; all eyes turned to Rin. Magic energy washed over the battlefield, prompting Berserker to raise his hackles, much like an animal, and turn his demonic gaze to the small mage bathed in golden light. Rin met his gaze unwaveringly. The light surged ever more brightly, as if fueled by her determination.

Illya's panicked voice broke the silence as she shrieked, "Berserker kill her! Kill her right NOW!" Rin felt more than saw Berserker as instantly he leaped, hurdling towards her at great speed; eyes blood red and sword poised to strike.

"Rin!" She heard Archer shout in alarm as he and Lancer moved to intercept the attack, their efforts clearly in vain. Panic flashed across their features. No matter how fast they moved they could not reach her in time. Rin offered them a confident smile.

Despite Berserker's might and size, his shadow never touched her for the light only continued to grow; each step the beast took served only to strengthen the luminosity until the light grew to split the earth and sky with a thunderous blast. Berserker's war cry was lost to the noise and his attack fell short several feet from its target. The beastly spirit was then swiftly launched backwards.

"What the hell was that?" Shirou whispered in awe as the Berserker class servant went flying.

"I'm not sure," he heard Saber rasp quietly from her position in his arms. She was barely clinging to consciousness. Rin dried her tears on her sleeve as the light began to recede back into the emblem on her hand.

"You called?" A distinctly feminine voice echoed out from the brightness, a soft tone of amusement present.

"You're late, Ashlin," Rin accused quickly, "seriously, I almost got my head chopped off waiting for you!" The voice chuckled lightly as slowly a figure became visible. Cú Chulainn watched in awe as a beautiful maiden with long raven hair emerged from the blinding light. She was adorned with black winged armor that wrapped elegantly around her body, fitting like a second skin.

"That's not my fault. The way I see it, the only reason your head is still attached is because I showed up just in time. Perhaps you should consider calling me sooner, little sis." Lancer balked at her words. _Sister?!_

"Humph, well I didn't really need your help you know! I had it handled," Rin retorted, causing Ashlin to raise an eyebrow at her younger sibling while surveying the destruction surrounding Rin.

"Sure you did, hun," she teased. However, Ashlin's amusement all but vanished when her ebony eyes stopped to rest on the broken and battered heroic spirits standing before her. The metallic smell of iron and blood assaulted her senses as she stared. Her eyes connected with Lancer's for a moment, sending a jolt down his spine. "Rin-" Ashlin began more seriously this time.

"Everything was fine!" Rin continued to insist stubbornly, cutting her sister off. "We had it under control. There was absolutely no need for you to come hurling across the dimensional rift like a crazy person. It was completely unnecessary," Rin paused with a slight jump as Berserker emerged from the destroyed foliage where he had landed not moments before. Ashlin's gaze immediately locked on his massive form, her dragon-like wings extending and flexing in anticipation.

"But, ummm, since you're here," she could hear Rin chatter quickly. "You might as well help. Starting with that thing!" She pointed directly at Berserker, as if Ashlin were an attack dog to be sicked on the beast. "We've already managed to take six of his lives. He has twelve total."

"Then we're halfway done," Ashlin replied with a smirk in Berserker's direction, earning a satisfied grin from her younger sibling.

"Just don't die."

"I don't plan to," Ashlin replied.

"Ha! You would consider killing a great champion like Hercules six times a simple task? As if! Berserker, I want you to crush her!" Illya screeched. Like a dead man reanimated, Berserker's still form suddenly leaped forward to rapidly close the distance.

"Rin, go to Archer," Ashlin commanded quickly before the wings of her powerful armor sent her surging forward to meet the beast head on. Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks and debris as the earth shattered beneath them. The warriors exchanged blow for blow, destroying the terrain as they went. Berserker was surprisingly agile for his size and Ashlin was finding it difficult to land a strike. Moving to a different tactic, she used her dragon-like wings to propel herself into the air.

Lancer observed as the raven haired warrior rose into the air while simultaneously materializing a second sword in her left hand. Ashlin's strikes were precise as she flashed about Berserker. The height advantage and maneuverability the girl had while airborne was serving her well. He could see several bleeding wounds scattered over the giant now. His heart hammered in exhilaration as the battle progressed. She was skilled, no doubt about it and her armor… He had never seen anything like it.

He smirked when Ashlin landed quickly on the ground, well within striking range of Berserker's throat. The monster narrowly dodged the blow by moving backwards but Cú Chulainn watched in fascination as a magic circle sprung to life at the sword's hilt, lengthening the weapon into a lance. The spear's point tore through the beast's throat, nearly severing his head from his body. Berserker immediately began to heal the wound as another life of his was taken. Wasting no time, Ashlin leaped backward to summon a magic circle.

"Requip magic, Flame Empress Armor!" She yelled as a circle of fire erupted under her feet and snaked around her body. Instantly, her black armor was replaced with crimson steel and scarlet wings. As Berserker recovered he was greeted immediately with a blast of scorching fire originating from Ashlin's enchanted blade. Instantly, another life gone.

Illya was starting to panic as the fight progressed. This couldn't be happening. _Berserker can't lose. He can't!_ Taking a deep breath, the small white haired child began to focus magic energy into the numerous magic circuits inside her body. Her unnaturally large amount of circuits offered her the ability to tightly regulate Berserker's madness and she normally kept him on a very short leash. However, the way this fight was progressing Illya doubted he could survive unless she set him lose. She disliked the idea but…

"Berserker, I won't let you lose!" She yelled, her mind made up. In an instant, Illya dropped all magical holds on the giant, releasing the monster and in doing so unleashing his true potential as a legendary hero. Ashlin shuddered as the air itself seemed to change. Pure, unadulterated bloodlust was pouring from the beast and, before she could react, the hilt of his sword connected with her side, splitting the air with a sickening crunch. Her back smashed into the ground as Berserker sent her flying across the clearing. Ashlin rolled quickly to the side as his blade came down where her head use to be.

 _What the hell is happening?_ She thought as the monster's speed and strength dramatically increased. Berserker had her completely on the defensive and he came at her relentlessly. Ashlin leaped into the air to take flight only to have her scarlet wings grabbed by the beast. He proceed to swing Ashlin by her wings through the nearest tree and then into the ground at his feet. She barely managed to block a lethal blow by summoning a shield from her position on the ground. _This isn't good, he has me pinned down!_ Ashlin racked her brain for an armor that could get her out of the situation as Berserker continued to hammer against the shield; the only barrier separating his blade from her body. Ashlin felt her stomach drop when her shield cracked. _Shit!_

"Hey, Hercules! I find it unbecoming of a hero to strike a woman!" Ashlin watched in surprise as the blue lancer she saw earlier engaged Berserker. Taking the opportunity to escape, she quickly rolled away. It was evident that Lancer was exhausted. His movements were slow. Too slow, Ashlin decided as she jumped in front of him to deflect a crushing blow. The clash of their swords sent shockwaves through the clearing. Spotting an opening, Lancer quickly maneuvered his spear around Ashlin to slice Berserker's flank, eliciting a howl from the beast. Swiftly Hercules raised a leg and connected his heel with the nearest warrior, sending Ashlin several meters back.

She moved to rejoin the fight but stopped as she heard the overhanging cliff crack. The shockwaves from the battle had damaged much of the surrounding environment and Ashlin watched in alarm as rocks began to tumble towards Illya. The white haired child was completely unaware of the danger rapidly approaching. Her sole focus was on Hercules and Lancer. Making a quick decision, Ashlin hastily launched herself in the child's direction and requipped into flight armor. Despite the incredible speed the armor provided, Ashlin barely made it to Illya before the rocks crushed her. Illya turned at the last second to see the incoming rockslide before Ashlin scooped her up and rolled away, covering Illya's small frame with her own body. As the dust settled, she peered down at the child in concern.

"You ok?" Illya just nodded her head mutely, her eyes wide with shock. Ashlin gently placed her on the ground before offering her a wide smile. "Good, you had me worried for a second there."

"What the hell was that?!" She could hear Rin screaming in the background, clearly not pleased. Ashlin simply ignored her and turned to rejoin the battle. Berserker seemed to have paused in his onslaught. His grip on Lancer's throat was firm but not constricting as he dangled the spearman off the ground. Hercules observed Ashlin with newfound appreciation, his gaze betraying something akin to respect or contentment while his madness lapsed briefly.

Ashlin wasn't sure why, but seeing the blue warrior in Berserker's monstrous grip sent her senses into a frenzy. Magic surged through her flight armor. Within seconds she flashed to Berserker and lashed out, slicing at the brute until his grip loosened and Cú Chulainn dropped. Ashlin grunted as Lancer's weight landed on her. Supporting him, she quickly flashed a safe distance away. He was gasping for air but otherwise seemed ok.

Cú Chulainn felt his vision and senses returning as oxygen flooded his lungs. His heart continued to beat wildly but he suspected that was more related to the beautiful warrior supporting him than the lack of oxygen.

"This isn't working," he heard her say.

"I'm open to suggestions," he replied shortly, between heavy breaths. Ashlin watched in apprehension as Berserker began to lose control again. Glancing backward, Rin was in tatters supporting and attempting to heal her injured Archer and Saber had lost consciousness. She was being carried toward Rin by a bruised and bloody young man, presumably her master. _I can't protect them like this forever and there is no possible way they can escape the battlefield. And we still have four more lives to go…_

"Looks like I have no other choice," Ashlin muttered, catching Lancers attention. Suddenly, her armor disintegrated, leaving behind a simple black skirt and a sleeveless white shirt.

"What the hell are you doing, woman?!" Lancer yelled with a start, chivalry out the window for the moment. Without armor or a weapon she might as well be naked against Berserker for God's sake.

"Trust me," Ashlin encouraged as she gently touched his shoulder and moved to stand in front of him. When she lifted her right arm Lancer could see one of her tattoos begin to glow.

"No way," Rin had time to whisper before the area under Ashlin and Lancer burst into a blinding magic circle. Golden energy billowed upward like steam from a geyser while Ashlin spoke the incantation. The very earth seemed to quake at her words.

"It's time to assemble a river of light that's guided by fairies! Shine your light! So that I may vanquish the fangs of wickedness!" The incantation paused as a golden ring of light encircled Berserker, trapping him in place. Rin covered her eyes and dragged Archer to the ground moments before the spell detonated.

"Fairy Glitter!" Ashlin cried, her voice reverberating through the air before the golden ring encircling Berserker exploded into fiery ball of blinding light. The blast radius was enormous and much of the forest was consumed by it. Lancer couldn't help but shield his eyes. To his surprise, he felt some of his mana being restored by the spell and several of his injuries begin to heal.

As the light faded and the dust slowly settled, he allowed his eyes to open. Ashlin stood directly in front of a fading Berserker, her skirt and shirt slightly tattered from the blast. She stared up at the colossal heroic spirit calmly and offered him a wide grin. He smiled back, finally free from the madness that cursed him since his summoning. Hercules raised one of his large hands and faced his palm toward her, prompting Ashlin to place her own much smaller hand against it, feeling his calluses and scars. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"I'll take care of her, you know," Ashlin spoke, causing him to open his eyes and glance over toward Illya. Tears poured down the young girl's face as she held her right hand tightly in her left. All traces of command seals had vanished. "I will not allow her to be harmed," Ashlin vowed, placing her free hand over her heart. "You have my word as a Fairy Tail wizard."

"Thank you," Hercules replied, his body slowly dematerializing. "I will not forget your kindness, wizard in armor."

"No, Berserker wait! You can't leave me!" Illya cried as she closed the distance and grabbed him in a tight hug.

"Stay strong, little one, and do not mourn. I shall watch over you from the halls of my father until the end of time. You will never be alone. Remember that, Illya." With his last words spoken, the great hero vanished.

"I'm sorry, Illya," Ashlin spoke softly. The small child stared up at her for a moment before grabbing her in a tight hug, much to the Ashlin's surprise.

"I tried to save him," Illya sobbed while tears poured from her eyes. "I used all my command seals to replenish his lives when you cast your spell." Lancer widened his eyes at the revelation. Assuming each command seal replenished 12 lives, the girl's spell was able to eliminate 40 of Berserker's lives at once. It was unfathomable. "I was selfish," Illya continued to cry. "I tried to force him to stay even though I knew he was unhappy. I just didn't want to be alone anymore!"

"Shhhhh, it's ok. You don't have to be alone," Ashlin reassured, causing Illya to look up at her. She fixed the small girl with a dazzling smile before saying, "if you want to, you can come with me." Illya dried her tears on her sleeve before nodding.

"I would like that, I think."

Lancer looked on in sheer amazement as Ashlin befriended the small mage, fulfilling the vow she made to Hercules. The young woman was not only powerful, skilled, beautiful, and intelligent but she was also incredibly kind. He had never seen such a sight. His chest tightened while he stared at her. With the battle finally over Lancer took his time admiring her, letting his gaze wander over her curvaceous features unashamedly. _Too bad_ , he thought to himself as his body started to flicker out of existence again. _I really do have the worst luck with women._

A sudden cry from Ashlin startled him and Lancer found himself moving towards her despite his fading mana. The young warrior dropped to her knees and was cradling her right hand. He could see blood dripping between her fingers. Illya was beside her, looking a little scared. Wasting no time Lancer knelt down and pulled Ashlin's hand into the view. He suddenly stilled. There, carved into the flesh of her right hand were three command seals. His mind was reeling. _Where those there before?! No. No, they definitely were not there before. What the hell?_

"What in the literal fuck?!" Ashlin suddenly screeched, startling Illya and making Lancer stifle a laugh. "No! Oh, no I am not participating in this stupid fuckin bloodbath of a ritual!"

"Apparently, you are," Rin deadpanned as she approached.

"The hell I am, that Grail thing is evil as shit! Send me back to Fiore right now!"

"Not with those things etched into your hand! You should of thought of that before you went flashing your abilities around in front of the whole universe. The Holy Grail watches us, you know! What the hell did you expect?!"

"This is so not happening," Ashlin groaned.

"You literally blew Berserker away with one spell and you didn't think that would get the Grail excited? Of course it wants to suck you into the battle after that," Rin continued, clearly trying to hammer her point home. Ashlin just slumped her head down in defeat. Rin took a deep breath before continuing more calmly. "But I guess what's done is done. If you're going to participate, we better find you a servant." Ashlin snorted at that.

"What servant would want to partner with me? If I do manage to summon the damned thing I plan to blast it into oblivion. That thing is pure evil, whether you believe it or not."

"You're really planning to destroy it?" Illya asked meekly, clearly still startled from Ashlin's outburst.

"Absolutely."

"That's fine by me," Lancer spoke, catching everyone's attention. "I never really liked the idea of something as powerful as the Grail existing anyway." Ashlin raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Wait you- You have no master?" She asked in amazement. "Then why fight Berserker?"

"Well, let's just say I've grown rather fond of your little sister," he replied with a wink in Rin's direction. Ashlin turned to look at her younger sibling, a silent question hanging in the air. Rin simply nodded her head in confirmation.

"And you want to partner with me?" Ashlin asked slowly, attempting to process the information. The Lancer class servant was indeed strong, and for some reason Ashlin felt him to be more than an acceptable choice.

"It would be my honor, milady," he replied as he knelt before her. "Should you allow it, I offer you my spear and I pledge to serve you in valor and faith. I pledge to live by honor and glory, and I shall persevere to the end of all endeavors." Ashlin felt her voice catch in her throat, leaving her speechless. Recovering quickly, Ashlin pulled him to his feet, grinning as she requipped into simple steel armor. Lancer watched in anticipation, feeling a bit surprised when she took a step back and bowed deeply.

"And I offer you my sword and my partnership. From this day forward we shall stand together on the fields of battle. I shall not abandon or forsake you. This I do solemnly swear." Apparently, this woman was full of surprises. Cú Chulainn spent his entire life making oaths and vows to kings and conquerors. Never had a lord or master swore an oath to him. He couldn't help but allow a pleased grin to spread across his features. He glanced down when Ashlin extended a hand to him and, without hesitation, he gripped it to seal their pact. As their skin connected, a flood of magical energy and mana surged into Lancer. _Just how powerful is she?_ He wondered briefly as his reservoirs quickly fill to the brim with magic power. He jumped in surprise when a blue emblem, a mirror reflection of the emblem tattooed on Ashlin's upper arm, burned painlessly through his armor to settle on his left shoulder. Peering at it, he couldn't help but wonder, _is that a fairy with a tail?_


	2. Chapter 2

"Seriously, this is getting ridiculous," Shirou mumbled to no one in particular as he threw a pile of eggs into the frying pan. After the fight with Berserker several more people had taken up residence in his home. Illya now slept in the room immediately adjacent to his and frequently Shirou found her snuggled up in his own bed, much to Rin's displeasure. And Ashlin and Lancer now resided in the small cottage that sat next to the main compound of his home. Shirou frequently went to visit but rarely was he able to find the master and servant. When he questioned Rin about this she simply said Ashlin preferred the solitude of the mountains. Glancing through the window, Shirou couldn't help but wonder what Ashlin enjoyed so much about solitude. The answer to Shirou's question existed in the dense forest that sprawled across the back of the mountain's peak. The area was very secluded and was located a great distance from the city.

"You're improving, Ash," Lancer proudly stated as he deflected a blow from her spear with his own.

"As are you," she replied, gesturing at the black armor he currently wore. It had been several weeks since the battle with Berserker and Ashlin insisted they spend as much time as possible training together. During this time, she granted Lancer access to her weapon and armor stores, allowing him to requip any of her items at will. The armors, enchanted as they were, adapted to fit Lancer's male physique without issue; a discovery that greatly pleased Ashlin.

Distracted by her thoughts, Ashlin failed to notice Lancer's advance until she was knocked bodily to the ground. She landed hard with Lancer hovering over her.

"You really do hit like a hammer with that black armor on," she commented with a groan. She could feel the bruise forming already. "I still don't understand why you refuse to wear the wings, though."

"They get in my way," he replied with a shrug while helping Ashlin to her feet. Lancer knew she was sore. He had been thrashing on her all day wearing the black armor; armor that was enchanted to greatly increased the strength of his attacks. She had fought back with nothing but a spear, practicing her technique against him.

"You wanna go again?" Ashlin asked, grinning up at him. He shook his head before grabbing his master around her slender waist and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Hey!" She shouted in protest, causing him to chuckle. He resisted the urge to slap her butt. _Tempting. So tempting_ , Lancer thought as he carried the struggling woman down the mountain path towards the road. God, he loved to rile her up.

"Put me down right now or I'll- I'll-"

"You'll what?" He asked with a smirk. Suddenly he felt her body still in his arms. _Oh shit, what is she-_ Before he had time to ponder her dastardly plan, a weight from above crushed him to the ground. "What the hell is that armor? It's so damn heavy," He grunted from underneath a pile of metal. Ashlin was laughing hysterically.

"Adamantine armor," she replied through the giggles, watching a scowl settle onto her servant's face.

"That's great, now will you get off?" Still laughing, Ashlin allowed the armor to dissolve, leaving her to hover over Lancer in nothing but her black skirt and white blouse. Lancer immediately froze under her. Free from her armor, the moonlight moved to dance across her pale skin while she sat astride his waist. He watched as her hair swayed gently with the breeze. Her blouse was buttoned too low, Lancer decided as Ashlin leaned over to look at him more closely.

"Hey, you ok?" She asked, spotting a strained look on his face.

"You're still on top of me."

"Oh! Sorry," Ashlin squeaked while she jumping up, forgetting her position. Lancer nearly groaned at the loss of contact. His hands twitched as he imagined grabbing her hips and forcing her back down. He resisted the impulse and stood up, brushing grass and leaves off himself as he did.

"So, you ready to go back?" She asked him with a smile.

"Lead the way," he replied, shaking his head when she went bounding down the mountainside. _Damn it_ , he cursed quietly, his body still buzzing from the intimate contact. He could feel his restraint slipping a little more every day. "You're going to kill me one of these days," he muttered as he slowly followed his very oblivious master down the trail.

The courtyard was silent as the pair returned to Shirou's compound. Archer observed them from a distance and couldn't help but frown. The way the blue warrior watched his newfound master was not lost on him. Lancer was walking on dangerous ground to be sure. _Whatever, it's none of my business what that idiot does._

"Tomorrow I am going to wear armor," Ashlin stated with an inward groan as she trudged toward the small cottage she shared with Lancer. Her whole body ached after the training session. While Lancer was careful to never land a blow that could seriously injure her the addition of the black armor made every attack hurt. Ashlin absentmindedly reached up to touch a bruise forming over her left jaw only to have Lancer stop her. He brushed some strands of hair away before proceeding to tilt her chin to the side.

"Sorry, I got a little carried away today," he spoke, running his thumb over the injury. Lancer greatly disliked leaving marks on her body but accepted it as part of the training process. However, today was a little different. She looked injured today and he was beginning to regret requipping the black armor; its properties made it impossible for him to hold back.

"What? No, I'm fine," Ashlin insisted, swatting his hand away. "Seriously, it's no big deal." But it was. Ashlin always supplied Lancer with an overabundance of mana, an act he never failed to appreciate. Even injured she still maintained a consistent stream of energy.

"I think we should take a break from training tomorrow," he stated as Ashlin tugged him through the door to their temporary living quarters.

"Really, why?" She asked, sounding surprised. _Because you're fucking injured_ , he felt like saying.

"Because I think it's time we discussed what to do about Caster," Lancer replied, more calmly than he thought possible, while he settled himself at the kitchen table.

"That would make sense, I suppose. Everyone is almost back to full strength now."

"Right."

"Ok, we can talk with them about it over breakfast tomorrow. I guess I'll take a shower and go to bed then." Cú Chulainn nodded his head in understanding before watching Ashlin disappear down the hallway. Taking a deep breath, he stood from the table and exited the small cottage. Lancer was greeted by the crisp night air as he strode across the courtyard. With a leap he settled himself on the compound's roof, far away from his master.

"Trying not to imagine her naked in the shower, huh?" Came Archer's smug comment.

"Shut up," Lancer snapped back, shooting a death glare at the bowman who was leaning casually against the chimney. This only caused Archer's smirk to widen.

Chuckling at the scowl present on Lancer's face, Ashlin allowed the adamantine armor to vanish from her body, leaving her exposed to the night air. She shivered a bit as the cold breeze tugged at her hair and the moon danced across her pale skin. Her servant lay silent and still under her, heat radiating off his body in waves. Ashlin placed her hands on his chest and leaned down to smile at him, unable to resist.

Ashlin jumped a bit as their eyes connected. His dark gaze was alight with a crimson glow that seemed to pierce her very soul. She tilted her head slightly and furrowed her brow, trying to decipher the emotions swirling behind those captivating eyes. His expression was almost pained, and there was something else… _Desire?_

"You're still on top of me," she heard him speak slowly, his voice low and strained.

"Oh! Sorry," Ashlin squeaked, realizing her position astride his waist. However, when she quickly tried to scramble off him she felt Lancer's hands grip her hips and firmly pull her back down. She gasped in surprise and planted her hands firmly on the ground on either side of Lancer's head to brace her fall. He stared at her almost apologetically as one of his hands slowly traced a path from her hip across her stomach, up to her shoulder and then ultimately to tangle in her hair. Lancer's other hand maintained a firm grip on her hip, keeping her body astride his waist. Ashlin fixed him with a questioning look while trying to slow her racing heart.

"Lancer?" Her voice sounded breathy when she questioned him. He did not respond but simply grinned up at her, all restraint seeming to vanish. Ashlin squeaked in surprise as Lancer suddenly rolled to reverse their positions, trapping her beneath him with her legs on either side of his waist. The hand buried in her raven hair moved to pin both her arms above her head. Ashlin squirmed under him, trying to keep her skirt from riding up as a blush spilled onto her cheeks. Lancer simply chuckled before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her neck. Ashlin felt her back instinctively arch, encouraging Lancer to continue.

"Cú Chulainn?" His name came out more as a soft moan than a question as the hand on her hip travelled down to grip her skirt and lift it slightly, allowing him to tease the sensitive skin of her upper thigh. He smirked at the sound of his name and continued to kiss her neck softly, earning him small contented sounds from the woman beneath him.

"Ashlin," he breathed against her skin, causing her heart to race. "Ashlin," he repeated, this time louder.

"ASH!" The voice shouted, jolting her from the dream and back into reality. As her eyes flew opened she spotted Lancer hovering over her, an amused smirk on his face.

"Well, someone was having a good dream," he teased before getting smacked, hard, with a pillow. The blow was sufficient to knock him to the ground but it did nothing to remove the smirk that seemed permanently affixed to his face.

"What the hell are you doing in here?!" She yelped, pulling her sheets up to her chin, her eyes wide as saucers. He couldn't help but laugh at her. She looked rather endearing with her big eyes and dark blush on her face. He couldn't help but wonder who she was dreaming about. _It better not have been that damn Archer._

Deciding not to tease her too much, Lancer replied with, "Waking you up for breakfast, dummy. Did you forget we have a battle strategy to formulate?"

"Oh. Yea, that. Fine, fine, just get out," she ordered quickly, pointing a finger at the door. Lancer rolled his eyes before moving towards the exit. He couldn't resist one last jab though.

"Just remember to join us once you've _finish_ ed," he was sure to enunciate the word to get his point across. He closed the door just in time for a spear to lodge itself in the wood. Ashlin could hear Lancer cackling all the way down the hall as he left. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment when she stood to get dressed. At least Lancer seemed wholly unaware of who she was dreaming about. _I CANNOT be fantasizing about my SERVANT. That is such a bad idea. Bad, bad, BAD idea!_ She reprimanded herself without pause all the way to the bathroom and all the way to the door as she slipped on her shoes. _Bad idea!_ She continued to yell in her head, thoroughly scolding her subconscious mind.

Lancer wasn't much better off as he trudged toward the house. Now that the initial hilarity of the situation had worn off he could hear her soft moans and contented noises echoing in his mind. "I really could have gone my whole life without hearing that," he grumbled to no one in particular. If he thought his self-restraint was slipping before she might as well have blasted it with Fairy Glitter today. He wasn't even sure of he could look at her without pouncing on her. _I didn't sign up for this!_ He bellowed in his mind, scowling at the world as he walked. Sure, he knew the girl was powerful and attractive but come on! She was his MASTER for God's sake!

"Rough morning?" Archer asked with a smirk as Lancer approached the doorway looking sour.

"Fuckin run me through with Gae Bolg," He replied with a snarl as he shoved past him into the house.

"That bad, huh?"

Breakfast could have been more awkward, Ashlin supposed as she sipped her tea in silence. The masters plus Illya and Saber were gathered around the table while Archer and Lancer leaned against the wall on opposite sides of the room. From the information gathered it was apparent that a witch of considerable strength had taken up residence at Ryuudou Temple. She was the one responsible for placing hundreds of citizens into comas after draining mana from their bodies. As Saber and Rin chatted about tactics Ashlin couldn't help but feel something was off about the situation. She could feel her Fairy Tail emblem pulsing. It tugged at her for the past several days, trying to pull her in the direction of Ryuudou Temple. She was sure Lancer could feel it too.

 _There is a Fairy Tail mage in that temple, I can feel it,_ she thought with certainty. But who? No one traversed the portal with her when she arrived here and traversing through dimensions without some sort of anchor was incredibly dangerous. Without an anchor, wizards could become stranded in an alternate timeline with no way of returning home.

Lancer glanced over to his master, sensing something was troubling her. Ashlin's brow was furrowed and she was staring directly into her tea cup with an unwavering expression. He wondered absentmindedly if it had something to do with the strange pull he felt toward the temple. Her emblem seemed to be the cause, after all.

"Excuse me," Ashlin spoke suddenly as she rose from the table. "I just remembered there's something I need to do. I'll be back. Stay here Lancer, I won't go far," she instructed quickly before he could follow her. He raised an eyebrow at Ashlin before she bolted out the door.

"What was that?" Rin asked, looking a little peeved that her battle meeting had been interrupted. Lancer just shrugged.

"No idea."

Wasting no time, Ashlin sprinted out the front door and raced to the shed where Shirou normally practiced his magic. Shoving all of his metal objects and materials aside she grabbed a piece of chalk and began to draw the Fairy Glitter magic circle. Once finished, she settled herself cross-legged in the middle and began to focus her magic energy. She could feel the Fairy Glitter tattoo on her arm crackle and spark as the magic gathered. The circle eventually began to glow.

"Master Mavis, I seek your wisdom," she spoke, attempting to contact the spirit of her guild's first master.

A small ball of light appeared at her request and a high pitch voice squealed, "Ashlin! You've gotten so big!" The ball of light bobbed excitedly around her.

"Yes, Master," she replied with a smile.

"It's been a long time since we last spoke, child. What troubles you?"

"I have a strong suspicion that another Fairy Tail wizard is here with me in this dimension," she spoke, getting straight to the point. "My emblem has been acting up. It's been trying to pull me in the direction of a nearby temple. Master, can you sense the presence as well?" Mavis was silent for a long moment and her light seemed to dim a bit.

"Yes, I can," she eventually responded, sounding incredibly sad. "She was one of my first students. She was beautiful and talented, and once she learned all she could from our world she travelled to a faraway land in search of new magics. Impressed by her sorcery, the people of that time adopted her and she lived as the daughter and pupil of the great king Aeetes."

"Aeetes? Wasn't he was the king of Colchis in Greek Mythology?"

"Indeed, this was the timeline she selected when she travelled across the dimensional rift. She learned much from Aeetes and in turn shared our magic with his people. His kingdom saw a great time of peace and prosperity, and she loved the king like he was her own father. However, this all came to an end when her anchor to our world was shattered by the actions of greedy man and a foolish god."

"Jason and Aphrodite," Ashlin breathed in realization. Mavis's light dimmed further, leaving almost no light in the room.

"Aphrodite cursed my student, Medea, forcing her to fall madly and blindly in love with Jason so he could obtain the Golden Fleece. The cruel god forced Medea to kill Apsyrtus, the king's son and her adopted brother, to facilitate their escape. She sailed with Jason to Lolcos and murdered the king when he refused to turn his country over to Jason in exchange for the Golden Fleece. In the end, they were banished to Corinth where Jason planned to wed Princess Creusa. By this point, Aphrodite had grown bored of them and released Medea from her control. Medea was a prisoner in her own mind for more than a year, witnessing her body destroy everything she loved. In the end, she used her magic to burn Corinth to the ground during the wedding ceremony, ironically killing everyone in attendance except Jason. With no anchor to bring her back to Fiore, Medea wondered the Greek wilderness alone for the rest of her days." Ashlin felt hot tears sting her eyes as her master finished the story.

"Mavis, we have to help her. We have to bring her home…"

Finally getting fed up with the absence of his master, Lancer stalked out of the house in search of Ashlin. She wasn't far, he could sense that much. _So why hasn't she returned yet?_ He walked a little faster as images of his former master, Kirei Kotomine, sprang into his mind. The bastard was still roaming around and with an extremely powerful servant to boot. After murdering his true master Bazett, Kirei used Lancer for the sole purpose of reconnaissance and entertainment, and once he was no longer useful Kirei abandoned him. With no master and no mana supply, Lancer went to Rin. He knew she would never partner with him so long as Archer was alive but simply being around her made him a little happier. _And then Ashlin showed up._ Energy surged into him at the very thought of her. Ashlin was the perfect master for him. _And I am not going to lose her like Bazett._

Lancer felt his body start to move faster when he located Ashlin's mana inside Shirou's shed. Without a second thought he threw the doors open to find Ashlin sitting in a dimming magic circle, tears streaming down her face. The sight of her crying nearly sent him into a panic and he quickly kneeled to grab her shoulders.

"What happened?" He demanded more harshly than he meant as his eyes quickly scanned the environment. Finding no enemies he turned back to look at her. "Are you ok?" She nodded her head slowly before resting her forehead against his chest, making him tense.

"I'm fine, Lancer. I just read a very sad story, that's all," she replied quietly. "I promise to tell you about it later, ok?"

"Only if you promise to stop crying, you're getting my shirt all wet." She chuckled lightly at that before raising her head to look at him. He was grinning but she could see the worry behind his eyes.

"Deal."


	3. Chapter 3

Ashlin felt bad for making Lancer worry. After finding her crying in the shed the man hadn't left her side for the rest of the day, and he kept looking at her like she might blow up into a fit of tears at any second. He even stopped teasing her, which was completely bizarre. Finally, Ashlin insisted that she was fine and demanded that he let her get some sleep. It took some convincing but begrudgingly Lancer agreed that he didn't need to share a bedroom with her. As she felt his presence retreat to the front of the house, Ashlin crept quietly to the window and dropped silently onto the grass outside. She left a large amount of mana behind as a distraction while she cloaked her presence to sneak out the compound. Archer was currently inside speaking with Rin so the timing was perfect.

"I'm sorry, Lancer," she whispered as she leaped from house to house toward Ryuudou Temple. "But this is something I need to handle on my own." The temple was surrounded by a powerful barrier that greatly reduced the power of any heroic spirits who passed through it. Its only weak point was currently being guarded by Assassin, an A-rank spirit summoned by Caster. Should Lancer accompany her, he would either have to face Assassin or be crippled by the barrier. Both options were not acceptable. _Plus I doubt Lancer is going to like my plan…_

Despite the guilt gnawing at her stomach Ashlin kept moving forward, only stopping once the barrier was in sight. She landed silently on a tree branch and paused to scan to area. Everything seemed quiet for now. Suddenly, she felt her back smash into the trunk and a hand covered her mouth, muffling her gasp of surprise.

"Where do you think you're going, missy?" Lancer growled, clearly not happy as he removed his hand from her mouth and stared down at her. His eyes glowed dangerously.

"I'm going to face Caster," Ashlin replied, staring right back at him unwaveringly.

"Not by yourself you're not."

"Yes, I am. This is my fight, Lancer."

"Why?"

"Because Caster is a Fairy Tail wizard and so I will handle this matter personally."

"I don't give a damn if she's a Fairy Tail wizard. I'm going with you," he stated firmly, glaring at her, daring her to refuse him.

"Lancer, this is ridiculous! If you go through that barrier or fight Assassin there is a high likelihood that you could get hurt or even killed."

"So?"

"What do you mean, so?! I won't let you do that. I can't." Her words hit him in the chest like an anvil. _She left me behind because she was worried about me? Stupid woman._

"You trust me, don't you?" He asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

"Yes," Ashlin replied.

"Then trust me now." She stared at him for a moment, considering his words carefully.

"Fine, but only on one condition."

"And what's that?" Lancer inquired.

"You do not interfere unless I say so," Ashlin stated firmly, deathly serious as she stared at him. Lancer immediately knew he wasn't going to like where this was headed but, finding no other choice, he agreed. "Alright, then let's go get Caster." As they leaped through the barrier together, Ashlin heard Lancer grunt.

"You ok?" She asked, concerned evident in her voice as she moved to his side.

"Yes, but this barrier certainly is heavy. If you need me to fight I'm going to use the black armor." Ashlin nodded in understanding before turning to enter the temple.

"Let's hope I don't need you to."

It was eerily quiet as the pair made their way down the winding halls to the heart of the temple. Several skeletal creatures stalked them and snarled into the darkness but none attacked. Finally, the narrow hallway opened up into a large room that glowed from the moonlight spilling through the glass ceiling. Caster and her master were waiting for them.

"My, my, aren't you bold. You bypassed my servant and chose to enter through the barrier. How interesting." The cloaked woman paused as she looked at them, sizing them up. "Well, your new master certainly is prettier, Lancer."

"Silence," he growled, reaching for his cursed spear to commence the battle. He gripped at Ashlin's magic to requip the black armor but stopped when the magic refused to answer his call. He glanced at her questioningly.

"Lancer, you are not to interfere with this battle," Ashlin ordered sharply, keeping her gaze locked on Caster.

"You mean to take me on by yourself?" Caster inquired, amusement evident in her voice. Lancer shot Ashlin an apprehensive look but lowered his spear.

"I do."

"Unwise. But very well, I shall humor you. So what may I call you, little mage?"

"I am Ashlin of Fairy Tail, the Wizard in Armor and the Keeper of Grand Fairy Magic." Caster visibly took a step back at her revelation.

"What did you say?" She croaked in disbelief. Ashlin removed her blouse and let it fall to the ground, exposing the tattoos on her right arm.

"I offer you this as proof of my allegiance to the Fairy Tail Guild," Ashlin stated while holding her arm up to the light for Caster's inspection. In an instant, erratic blasts of magical energy shot from Caster straight at her. Resisting the urge to requip or run, Ashlin simply covered her face and took the hits.

"Liar! How dare you mock me," Caster screamed as a barrage of magic was unleashed. Stunned that Ashlin didn't move to avoid the attack Lancer dove into the hail of fire without hesitation. As the dust cleared, he could be seen cradling his small master in his arms after shielding her with his body. He sustained some minor burns and other injuries from the blasts.

"Lancer!" Ashlin shouted in alarm as she moved to look at him. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach upon spotting the burns on his back.

"I'm fine. What the hell were you doing?!"

"Please don't do that again."

"I don't know, are you gonna stand there and let her hit you again?!"

"Lancer," she spoke his name, getting his attention. "I need you to trust me. Please, no matter what happens, stay out of the fight." Ashlin watched his jaw clench but he nodded his head. Caster seemed taken aback by the scene in front of her. The girl stood right in the middle of her attack without trying to fight or move or anything!

"Caster, as a Fairy Tail mage, I will never harm a fellow guild mate. I want to help you!"

"I don't need help!" She roared before taking to the air and opening her cloak, sending another barrage of spells at Ashlin. Kuzuki, seeing Caster's rage, joined the battle as well and struck Ashlin hard in the chest. Ashlin felt all the air leave her lungs as she smashed into the ground. _Shit that hurt. Way more than it should have._ She rolled to her feet and blocked a kick that would have shattered her ribs. Her arms burned after the impact.

Lancer grew very tense while he watched Kuzuki attack. His blows were crushing; they were something beyond human. Rage began to build inside him as he watched Ashlin make no move attack or run. She simply defended herself the best she could without a weapon or armor. Lancer flinched when she smashed into the temple wall, letting out a pained cry. He moved to assist but stopped when Ashlin shot him a look.

Lancer's body shook with fury. Every blow Kuzuki landed split the air with a sickening crunch and there was nothing he could do to stop it short of disobeying a direct order. As the fight progressed, Ashlin let out a variety of agonizing shrieks, screams, and groans; none of which were pleasant to Lancer's ears. Rage burned at his insides and his knuckles turned white from grasping Gae Bolg so tightly. Caster seemed completely shocked at Ashlin's behavior as well. She hovered over the battlefield and simply observed as her master tore the alleged Fairy Tail wizard apart.

"Why don't you fight back?" Kuzuki questioned, stopping his onslaught for a brief moment. Ashlin coughed and wiped some blood from her lips before answering.

"Because Caster and I are nakama. We're comrades! And I'm going to make her see that even if it kills me," Ashlin replied with determination. Lancer could have sworn he felt his heart stop. _Even if it kills her?!_

"Then I guess this is goodbye, Fairy Tail wizard," Kuzuki replied, his voice seemingly disinterested as he shifted his stance. Ashlin stared up at Caster sadly before closing her eyes and dropping her guard. She could feel the wind shift around her as Kuzuki began his attack. However, a loud clang brought her eyes shooting open. There, held directly in front of her deflecting Kuzuki's fist was Lancer's spear, Gae Bolg. Her stomach fluttered upon realizing she was encased in Lancer's grasp. Her back was pressed against his chest and his arms came around either side of her to grip his spear. As Kuzuki wound up again, she felt Lancer grab her waist and yank her behind him as he deflect another blow.

"That is enough," Lancer growled dangerously, much like an animal. "If you touch my master again, I will kill you."

"Lancer, stop-"

"No," he snapped harshly, keeping himself between Ashlin and Kuzuki. "I'm done watching this. If you want to throw your life away then you better use a command seal. Otherwise, shut the hell up and let me protect you." A lump formed in her throat at his words. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes as she gripped the back of his blue armor. _Thank you, Lancer._

"I must agree with Cú Chulainn," Caster's voice suddenly spoke. "That is quite enough. Master, please stop." By her command, Kuzuki immediately lowered his fists and retreated back to Medea's side as she floated to the ground. Using the last of her strength, Ashlin re-opened the magical channel and requipped Lancer into black armor. She subsequently collapsed after that.

"Ash!" She heard him shout as he spun to grab her before she hit the ground. Lancer carefully lowered her into a kneeling position, keeping one arm around her and the other keeping his spear raised.

"I won't let them hurt you," she gasped, gesturing to the armor.

"I swear, woman," she heard him grumble under his breath before his spear began to glow red. Her eyes widened as the demonic spear reverberated with a malevolent aura. Ashlin readied a command seal, fully prepared to use it if necessary to stop his noble phantasm.

"That won't be necessary, Lancer," Caster called out, causing her servant to still his actions. Ashlin breathed a sigh of relief at that. "The battle is over, Ashlin of Fairy Tail. I surrender," Caster spoke softly, removing her hood and cloak and letting them fall to the floor. Ashlin found her gaze drawn to the familiar Fairy Tail emblem painted in violet over Caster's collarbone. Her gaze then travelled up to the woman's face where tears now streamed freely. Ashlin felt her heart break a little for the fairy who was so far from home.

Wincing as she stood, Ashlin freed herself from Lancer's grasp and slowly approached the caster class servant, not stopping until she was immediately in front of the older sorceress. Reaching out Ashlin pulled Caster into an embrace.

"I'm sorry," she heard Caster sob as she wrapped her arms tightly around Ashlin. "All I wanted was to go home!"

"I know," Ashlin replied softly. "I know you missed your nakama, your family."

"I did things, terrible things," Caster continued to cry as she slumped to the ground. Ashlin kneeled with her. "I hurt all those people. You were almost killed! Even if I make it back home how can I face everyone?"

"We all love you." Caster stiffened for a moment and raised her head slowly as the soft voice of Mavis Vermilion echoed around the temple. Slowly, the petite fairy master materialized in a warm array of golden light. She smiled at Caster softly.

"Hello, Medea," she greeted.

"Master Mavis?" Caster choked, her eyes wide.

"We missed you. Won't you come home now?" Mavis asked as she extended a hand toward her old friend. Still shocked, Medea slowly stood and hesitantly accepted her hand.

"We always stand together," Ashlin spoke as her Fairy Glitter tattoo shimmered in the darkness of the temple. "We will never abandon you." Medea nodded her head once as a smile spread across her features through the tears.

"Thank you, Ashlin of Fairy Tail. I shall never forget you," Medea spoke before she and Mavis slowly vanished. As they faded, Ashlin felt a weight settle on her knees. Glancing down she spotted Caster's noble phantasm, Rule Breaker. The curved dagger gleamed in the moonlight as Ashlin lifted it to be examined. Closing her eyes and smiling, she allowed the dagger to dematerialize, storing it with her assortment of other weapons.

"You have done well, child. Be proud, for you have found the lost and shown them the light," Mavis voice echoed through the large room, causing a new wave of tears to pour down Ashlin's face. _I couldn't have done it without you, Master._ Ashlin jumped when she felt Lancer's hand settle on her shoulder. Her servant looked at her with something akin to astonishment. She grinned up at him. He simply shook his head and smirked.

"You really are something, you know that?" He spoke as he moved slightly closer to kneel behind her.

"Indeed, you are," Kuzuki agreed, his face remaining an emotionless mask. Ashlin felt Lancer's grip on her shoulder tighten.

"What will you do now?" She asked Kuzuki curiously, leaning against Lancer's frame a bit.

"I do not know. This war is over for me."

"I know a place where you can start over if you want. Find me after the Holy Grail war ends and I will take you there," Ashlin spoke, watching a brief flicker of emotion pass across the man's face.

"Perhaps," he responded shortly before turning and walking away. Though Ashlin couldn't see it, a single tear rolled down his cheek as he exited the temple. _Perhaps I will find you, when this is all over. Survive until then._

As Ashlin watched him leave, she was overcome with exhaustion and leaned fully backwards against her servant, her eyes fluttering closed. She was vaguely aware of Lancer slipping his arms under her knees and back to lift her. Her servant paused for a moment before draping something soft and warm across her. Forcing her eyes open, Ashlin recognized the item to be Caster's cloak. The cloak combined with the inviting warmth of Lancer's body quickly lulled her into unconsciousness.

Cú Chulainn couldn't stop his heart from hammering as he carried his small master out of the temple and into the crisp night air. Her body was broken and bruised in so many places he feared he may crush her in his arms. An irrational fear to be sure; the girl was a formidable warrior after all. _But still…_ His stomach churned a bit as he remembered the beating she received by Kuzuki's hand. _And all for the sake of saving a comrade who died long before you were even born, you fool._ Lancer took a deep breath to quell his anger. Truth be told, he couldn't help but admire her actions a bit. She was willing to sacrifice her life for the sake of a fallen comrade, after all.

His gaze travelled down to the young woman sleeping peacefully in his arms. His chest hurt at the sight. It had been a very long time since he truly cared about anyone. Sure there had been masters and before that there were kings, and he made oaths to them all. He fulfilled his promises for honor's sake; his own will and desires never mattered. But not this time. He felt drawn to this girl like a moth to a flame. Lancer knew he would burn in the end when Ashlin destroyed the Grail, the only object keeping him tethered to her, but he just couldn't bring himself to care. He lifted Ashlin a bit higher and tightened his grip, allowing her head to settle in the crook of his neck as he leaped into the trees. He was aware they were vulnerable and moved quickly in the direction of Shirou's compound.

"Hey, Lancer," Ashlin spoke softly.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I made you worry."

"It's alright," he replied quietly, feeling some of his rage subside. He hesitated at first but eventually lowered his head to place a soft kiss in her hair.

"Just don't do that again."

"I will try very hard not to." Satisfied with her reply, Lancer turned his attention back to his surroundings. As they neared the compound, he slowed his pace and landed softly on the ground at the entrance, swiftly carrying her inside the small cottage they shared. Archer watched their progression curiously but decided not to confront them until the blue spearman had calmed down. It was apparent Lancer was not in a good mood. Cú Chulainn likely considered Archer's very presence to be threat to his master right now, and truthfully Archer had no desire to fight the blue warrior on a regular day much less when he was clearly brimming with rage. Electing the safer route, Archer decided he would wait until morning to tell Rin.

Ashlin felt her eyes flutter open briefly as she was lowered onto something soft. However, her return to consciousness was short-lived and she quickly slipped back into comfortable darkness, clutching Medea's cloak close to her body, missing a warmth that was suddenly gone. Ashlin woke again when something abruptly pressed against her cheek. Blinking a few times, Lancer came into view. He was gently cleaning dirt and blood from her face with a washcloth.

"Hey," she greeted sleepily, earning her a smirk from the servant sitting next to her.

"You waking up finally?"

"No," Ashlin mumbled as she closed her eyes again and simply enjoyed the warm feeling ghosting across her cheek and nose. Cracking her eyes open again she inquired, "How bad is it?"

"Not too bad, I expected much worse based on the beating you took."

"My body healed a bit when I summoned Mavis," Ashlin explained. "You should have healed too. How are your burns?"

"Gone," Lancer replied shortly, having forgotten all about the minor injury he received shielding her.

"Good," Ashlin breathed a sigh of relief before allowing her eyes to close once more. Lancer focused his mind completely on the task at hand, keeping a tight rein on his thoughts as he gently removed the blood and dirt marring her pretty face. Once he was finished he moved to her neck and then paused at her collarbone, debating whether he should continue or not. However, before he had a chance to decide Ashlin pulled at Caster's cloak to grant him access to her upper chest and shoulders. He sucked in a breath silently. She chose to wear a black sports bra under her signature white blouse today, no doubt for the purpose of exposing her tattoos to Caster.

Lancer found his hand moving on its own as he trailed the washcloth from her collarbone downward, stopping before reaching any place intimate. _This is not a good idea_ , he quickly concluded before ripping his hand away and abruptly standing up. Ashlin watched in surprise as her servant spun on his heels and exited the bedroom. She tilted her head bit in confusion, wondering what had gotten into him all of a sudden. Her questions were answered when she heard the sound of bathwater running.

 _Shit, that was way to close,_ the blue warrior thought as he settled himself cross-legged on the floor of the bathroom and leaned his forehead against his spear. He promised himself he would not touch her, at least not intimately, without her explicitly asking him to. _Body language counts, right?_ He heard a small voice purr as the memory of Ashlin pulling down Caster's cloak flashed across his mind. Lancer shook his head quickly. _No, it does not!_ He mentally berated, scowling at no one in particular.

Lancer allowed himself a few moments of solitude as the bath filled up before switching off the water and making his way back to Ashlin. He stopped and frowned when he spotted her sitting up with her legs dangling over the side of the bed. She appeared to be in pain. Lancer could see dark bruises forming over her exposed mid-drift and lower thighs. Without a word he strode into the room and scooped her up in his arms.

"Hey, I can walk on my own," she protested, squirming a little in his grasp. Cú Chulainn didn't answer and simply carried her to bathroom. Ashlin shot him a questioning look as he set her down on the edge of the porcelain tub.

"Here, don't take too long," he responded without looking at her. Lancer turned to leave but stopped when the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. Images of Kirei killing his first master flashed across his vision, causing him to spread out his mana to search. A quick scan assured him Kirei was nowhere to be found, and with Archer standing watch outside like a guard dog Lancer doubted anything else dangerous could sneak into the compound. _But still, she's completely vulnerable right now. In every sense of the word._ Cú Chulainn clenched his teeth thinking about the horrible things Kirei would do to his master if he found her like this. His mind made up, Lancer promptly shut the door and settled himself cross-legged on the ground in the bathroom, his back facing Ashlin.

"What are you doing?" She asked, sounding a little nervous.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm protecting you."

"Yeah, but can't you protect me from outside the bathroom?"

"No," he answered flatly, leaving no room for debate. Lancer sighed loudly in frustration when he didn't hear her move. "I promise I won't turn around alright?"

"Fine," she conceded, sensing that he wasn't going to budge on the issue. Ashlin felt a scarlet blush spread across her cheeks as she slowly undressed and carefully lowered herself into the water. The water felt nice and despite her embarrassment she allowed a soft contented hum to leave her throat. Lancer sat like a statue with his back facing her, trying desperately to focus his attention anywhere else. His pulse was racing again and his body seemed to groan as sounds of her sinking into the water met his ears; her soft sigh of contentment about pushing him over the edge. _This is torture,_ he decided. _But at least I don't have to touch her. And at least she's safe._

Ashlin felt her body pulse with excitement at having the blue haired lancer so close in her current state. His proximity was driving her crazy and she had to work to keep her breathing even. _This is absolutely ridiculous!_ She shouted in her mind while she took to scrubbing at the dirt and grime covering her body as a distraction. _Ashlin, you cannot fall for your SERVANT! That's a bad idea. The worst possible idea! Ok, ok, wait. Calm down. My reaction has nothing to do with him,_ Ashlin tried to reason. _I would feel equally nervous if any other man were in the room with me while I was bathing._ _It definitely has nothing to do with him, nothing at all-_ Her inner voice stopped suddenly when she realized every inch of her was now clean. Every inch save for one area.

Ashlin felt her stomach drop when she realized her back was still covered in dirt and blood. She knew there was a nasty gash back there too. She received it when Kuzuki kicked her into the temple wall. A great battle started to wage in her mind as she contemplated asking Lancer to help her. Ashlin could have sworn she was going insane when she heard the characteristic voice of her mentor, Erza Scarlet, shout " _Completely inappropriate!_ " only to have her voice drowned out by the drunken slur of Kana " _Well, it's gotta get cleaned somehow!_ "

"Fuck it," she finally muttered under her breath. Throwing caution to the wind, she asked, "Lancer, can you please help me? There's a cut on my back and I can't reach it." Lancer's body stiffened and his eyes widened in disbelief at her request.

"You sure?" He asked, being careful to keeping his voice level.

"Yes, I'm sure," Ashlin replied. Lancer gulped very uncharacteristically before slowly turning around. She was facing away from him with her knees raised to her chest, leaving only her back visible to him. This did nothing to halt Lancer's vivid imagination, however. His resistance was starting to crumble. _This is a very bad idea._ The thought sounded far away to him as he stared at her. Her long raven hair was damp and clung to her back and neck, as if trying to hide these areas from him. Without a second thought he brushed the strands away. Ashlin peered over her shoulder to meet his gaze, clearly searching for something behind his crimson tinted eyes. A blush stained her cheeks.

Without looking away from her, Lancer reached for the cloth she had been using and slowly started to work. His rough hands were surprisingly gentle as he swept away the lingering traces of battle. Ashlin allowed her eyes to close as Lancer worked his way from top to bottom, stopping only when he reached the edge of the porcelain tub. Finding he could go no farther, Ashlin was surprised when he began to work his way back up, this time adding more pressure, massaging the injured muscles.

Lancer felt like a man possessed. He doubted he could stop even if he wanted to as his other hand came up to assisted the first in working out the knots he found scattered across her back. He half expected her to scold him or hit him, but she never did. Ashlin simply sat there with her eyes closed and let him touch her, a content smile on her face. Cú Chulainn felt his hands rest on her shoulders for a brief moment before his head dipped down to place a soft kiss on her neck. Ashlin inhaled sharply but otherwise remained still. Encouraged by this, Lancer continued to place butterfly kisses up and down her neck and shoulder while simultaneously tracing his hands down her back, letting them settle around her waist. He moved to trace light circles on her stomach under the water, feeling his body freeze when she let out a soft moan. It felt as though someone dumped a bucket of ice water over him. _Shit!_ Was all he could think before he immediately removed his hands and took several steps backward, spinning to face the door as he did so.

"Lancer?" he heard Ashlin question, her voice breathy and her face no doubt flushed.

"I'm sorry, Master. I shouldn't have done that," he spoke quickly and firmly, trying to calm his racing heart. "It was a mistake, please accept my apology." Ashlin stared at his back with wide eyes, trying to process what just happened. _Did I do something wrong?_ She couldn't help but wonder as she looked at her servant, feeling very confused and a little hurt.

"Lancer, I don't understand," Ashlin said as she rose from the tub and quickly wrapped a towel around herself. She felt him flinch when she placed a hand on his shoulder. Deciding she was probably safer without him in the room at that point, Lancer hastily opened the door and removed himself.

"You did nothing wrong, Ash. It was my fault. I'll wait for you in the hall," he declared before promptly closing the door on her. Ashlin felt unsure in that moment. Her normally confident and composed self was left by the wayside while she attempted to process what just transpired between the two of them. She was thoroughly confused. And exhausted, which didn't help. _What the hell was that?_ She could still feel his hot breath on her neck and his kisses burning her skin. Ashlin wasn't sure if she wanted to run away or toss Lancer on the bed and make him finish what he started. Clearly her body knew what she would prefer when an image of Lancer waiting for her in the bedroom flashed across her mind. Mavis help her, this was getting out of hand.

Cú Chulainn stood in the hallway with his back pressed against the nearest wall, struggling to control himself. He shouldn't have done that. _I should NOT have done that. Fuck!_ This was ridiculous. Never before had he wanted a woman so badly and never had he waited so damn long to just take what he wanted! Had she been any other woman Lancer would already have her pinned against the nearest wall, screaming his name as he took her over and over again. His body shook with desire as he imagined doing just that. _No! Stop thinking about it._ But he couldn't. The images had settled into his mind with no intent of leaving, at least not until his rather twisted fantasies were satisfied.

His chest was hurting again. It ached when he remembered her grinning up at him, broken and bloody, after saving Caster. She glowed in that moment. Lancer clenched his fists as he felt another wave of desire wash over him. He could feel the pull deep inside, tempting him to open the door and claim her. _No! I won't do that. I can't because I love-_

Cú Chulainn felt his body still and his eyes widen at the realization. He almost forgot how to breathe as his heart came crashing into the front of his chest. _No, no! This can't be happening._ But it was, and denial was pointless. It was painfully clear how hard he, the great Hound of Ulster, had fallen. Lancer couldn't help but chuckle bitterly at the irony. He had courted and fooled around with many beautiful women when he was alive but not once did he claim to love them. He died unmarried and alone. And yet here he was, completely and utterly smitten with his master. _Fate is a funny thing_ , Lancer decided when he heard the doorknob to the bathroom twist. He couldn't help but stare as Ashlin made her way over to him and timidly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, you ok?" She asked, worry clearly evident in her voice. "Please Lancer, you're scaring me." That caught his attention.

"I'm fine-" he tried to reply before stopping when Ashlin shot him a look of clear disbelief. Without another word, she took a step forward and wrapped him in a tight embrace, burying her head in his chest. Lancer tensed at the contact, this not at all being what he expected when she emerged.

"Look, I'm not sure what's going on but I need you to know that you didn't hurt me," she assured him. "You did nothing wrong. I'm here and safe because of you." Lancer felt his arms slowly wrap around the small woman standing before him. Her words were patient and gentle, quelling some of the turmoil within him. Ashlin could hear Lancer's heart racing as she rested her head against his chest and she wondered if he could hear hers as well. Slowly but surely Ashlin was beginning to understand what was happening to them. _I can't do this. He is going to disappear in the end._ Ashlin gripped the back of his armor tighter.

"Ashlin?" She heard him speak in a low voice. "I'm going to protect you, I promise."

"I know. I trust you," she replied softly. Lancer continued to hold her for a few moments longer before picking her up and carrying her back to the bedroom. Ashlin felt safe in his grip and sleep quickly began to take her again. She felt Lancer lower her onto the bed before pulling the covers over her. As he turned to leave she caught his arm. "Wait. Will you stay with me?" She watched a small, fleeting smile spread across his features before he nodded.

"Always." Ashlin watched as Lancer closed the door to the bedroom and settled himself cross-legged on the ground, his back against the wall and his spear across his lap. He directed his gaze toward the window and closed his eyes. Ashlin couldn't help but stare a little as the moonlight accentuated his handsome features and bathed Gae Bolg in a crimson glow. Resistance was seeming more futile with every passing second but still Ashlin fought. The path they were heading down could only be filled with heartache and pain, and she would fight against her growing desire until all the walls between them had crumbled.

Eventually, exhaustion took Ashlin and she slipped away from reality. Her dreams were filled with a familiar touch ghosting across her skin and his voice whispering sweet promises into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

As promised, Lancer did not leave the bedroom the entire night while he kept steady watch over his injured master. It wasn't until morning that he reluctantly moved, responding to frantic knocking on the door. As the door swung open he found himself mauled by a blur of white hair.

"What happened to my big sister?!" Illya demanded, glowering at him and clearly trying to muster up the scariest face possible. "What happened, what happened?" She continued to shout while banging her tiny fists on his chest. She was considerably less intimidating without Berserker around, Lancer decided with an exasperated sigh.

"That's quite enough, Illya," Rin stated as she approached.

"No! Archer said he," she emphasized her point by jabbing a finger in Lancer's chest, "carried Ash home all bloody last night! And I want to know what happened right now!"

"Calm down, shorty-"

"Don't call me short!"

"Hey, let go ya damn Einzbern munchkin!" Ashlin rolled her eyes at the sight before her as she rounded the corner. Lancer was desperately trying to peel a dangling Illyasviel off his steel shoulder plate. How the small child managed to climb that high was a mystery.

"Could you guys be any louder," Ash grumbled loud enough for the bickering pair to hear her. In an instant, Illya detached herself from Lancer and dove towards her, only to have the blue warrior catch her by the back of her shirt.

"Let me go!"

"No," Lancer said flatly as he held her suspended in the air.

"Why?!"

"Because Ashlin is injured, Illya. You need to be gentle," Rin replied before kicking off her shoes and entering the small house.

"You guys, I'm fine. Seriously," Ashlin asserted. Lancer shot her a disbelieving look but released Illya anyway. As expected, the young girl proceeded to leap onto Ashlin, effectively tackling her into a hug. Lancer winced as he watched his master suck in a breath, obviously biting back a scream. Illya loosened her hold immediately.

"You're not really fine, are you?" Illya questioned, her eyes starting to brim with tears. Ashlin gritted her teeth and forced a smile.

"Sure, I am-"

"Obviously not," Rin cut her off, looking rather impatient and a little annoyed. "I swear you do the stupidest things sometimes…"

"Hey! You don't even know what I did yet!"

"I know it was probably stupid!" Rin roared as she stomped inside. "And I'm going to find out exactly what you did very soon, believe me," she growled, facing her slightly taller sibling. "First things first though, let's get you healed up. Lancer, please carry Ash to the bedroom."

"What? Hey, don't listen to her!" Ashlin yelped when the servant in question proceeded to scoop her up and carry her down the hall.

"Sorry Master, but orders are orders," he replied with a snicker, a very amused smirk present on his face when he plopped her down on the bed.

"Seriously guys, this is unnecessary-"

"Hush!" Rin snapped before saying much more politely, "Thank you Lancer. Now if you wouldn't mind leaving the room for a few minutes so we can get her undressed and healed up."

"Undressed?! Why the fuc- heck do you need to undress me?!" Ashlin yelled, her eyes darting to Lancer.

He only laughed harder before saying, "Sorry Rin, but I feel obliged to stay. My master is in a very _fragile_ condition, after all." Ashlin felt her mouth drop open.

"Fine, but I do insist you turn around," Rin responded simply as she got to work pulling various potions and objects out of her bag.

"Heh, fine by me," Lancer replied with a wicked smirk in Ashlin's direction before turning to face out the window. He could feel her fuming behind him. Archer rolled his eyes as he watched the entire ordeal through the glass from a distance.

"Ok, let's get started then. Illya, would you come help me please?" The white haired girl nodded her head enthusiastically before pouncing on Ashlin, attempting to pry off her shirt.

"Hey!" Ashlin squeaked while her arms flailed uselessly, too afraid of hurting Illya to try and stop her. Illya's actions suddenly halted.

"How did you get these?" She asked with a whisper, spotting the dark bruises coloring Ashlin's abdomen and chest. Lancer resisted the urge to turn around. He could feel his anger returning as memories of her battled with Kuzuki came to the forefront of his mind. _God I want to kill that man._

"We can talk about it later, Ash. Just finish undressing please," Rin's voice was quieter this time when she spoke and Ashlin could see her sister biting her lip. She stared at Rin for a moment before silently complying. If Rin was shocked by her injuries she hid it well. Ashlin felt her broken ribs and scattered contusions heal slowly under her sister's careful touch as Illya watched in amazement. After a good hour of hard work, Ashlin was mostly back to her old self.

"There. All finished."

"OH! I wanna dress her!" Illya shouted as she made like a submarine and literally dove into the closet. Lancer could hear a great deal of shuffling and crashing quickly ensue behind him.

"This is the one! Wear this, Ashy!"

"Hell no!"

"Ashlin, your language. There's a child present."

"Fuck no!"

"Ash!"

"How did that even get into my closet?!"

"Pleaseeeee, Ashy!" Even with his back turned Lancer could practically see the pouty face Illya was making. The room was silent for a long moment. Then his master caved, clearly no match for the cute Einzbern child.

"Fine, but just this once."

"Yay!" A few moments later, Lancer felt Illya tugging on the back of his shirt. "Lancer look! Isn't she pretty!"

 _Yes, she is._ He couldn't help but agree as his eyes widened a fraction. Ashlin sat on the edge of the bed dressed in a pink summer dress, a light blush on her cheeks and a pout on her face. Lancer let his gaze sweep down her body for a moment.

"You look so pretty, Ashy. Just like a cute little flower!" Illya squealed. Lancer stifled a laugh when his master bristled.

"Yes, a very fearsome flower," he couldn't help but add before he burst out laughing, dodging an attack as Ashlin hurled a rather large sword at him. Lancer quickly grabbed her and wrapped her in a bear grip, effectively crushing her against his chest and lifting her off the ground.

"Now, now. We don't want to destroy Shirou's house," he snickered before whispering in her ear, "Besides, I much prefer you in that skimpy flight armor anyway, animal print is a huge turn on." Ashlin wanted to retort but found she couldn't when her voice caught in her throat and heat flooded her face.

"You… are an asshole," she finally concluded, unable to think of a wittier retort. Lancer just laughed.

Shortly after, the group sat around Shirou's table and listened intently as Ashlin recollected her encounter with Caster. Cú Chulainn remained mostly silent, allowing his master to describe the events. However, Archer couldn't help but notice how Lancer's hands seemed to clench and unclench while she spoke, as if he were imaging his hands around Kuzuki's throat.

"So Caster was eliminated from the war?" Saber confirmed.

"Correct."

"So besides us that leaves Rider and Gilgamesh, right?" Shirou asked.

"I'm not so sure about that," Archer spoke, quickly getting everyone's attention. "At Rin's request I did a little reconnaissance and it appears that Caster attacked the church where Kirei resided in search of the Holy Grail. She destroyed the place so its possible Kirei may have been eliminated already."

"I rather doubt that," Lancer snorted, clearly not believing it for an instant.

"Well, in any case we need to find out for sure," Rin spoke up. "So here's what I propose…"

The night was silent as the group trekked through the woods, making their way to the demolished church where Kirei Kotomine resided as overseer. Despite the information they received from Archer regarding Caster killing the false priest, Lancer remained suspicious. He very much doubted Gilgamesh would allow the man to be killed as easily. Kirei was his favorite source of entertainment after all.

"How much farther?" He heard Shirou ask.

"Not much, the church is just up the hill," Rin replied while continuing to march forward. Archer had taken a position many miles away on top of a skyscraper, observing their progress from a distance, and Lancer found himself wishing Saber had accompanied them as well. Instead, the powerful servant stayed behind.

"I don't like this," Lancer muttered, his voice low so only Ashlin could hear him. "We should have brought Saber."

"I agree, but I couldn't leave Illya alone. I made a promise to Hercules and I intend to keep it. Besides, with the two of us here and Archer providing firing support there isn't much we need to worry about." Cú Chulainn reluctantly agreed. His master was indeed on the same level as a heroic spirit; she had proven this while fighting Berserker and again when they sparred. But still, Lancer couldn't shake the feeling that something very bad was about to happen. He told himself he was just being paranoid but the prospect of his new master running into Kirei was unsettling. The group stopped as they approached the destroyed church.

"I think we should split up," Rin spoke, making it sound more like an order than a suggestion. "Shirou, you come with me."

"That's fine but you two will stay outside and search," Lancer stated firmly. "Archer can't protect what he can't see so be sure to stay in his line of sight. Ashlin and I will look inside the church." Rin grumbled a bit but complied.

"Oh, and Shirou?" Ashlin added before turning to enter the sanctuary, "If something feels off. Anything at all, use a command seal to summon Saber."

"Right." Lancer watched while Ashlin requipped into steel armor and manifested a sword. Clear his master was taking no chances as they entered the destroyed building.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Lancer asked as he scanned the church and surrounding area.

"A body," she replied shortly.

"Simple enough." Between the two of them, it took nearly an hour to tear the church apart in search of Kirei's corpse.

"He isn't here," Ashlin finally concluded, her voice grave.

"I thought as much."

"We should rendezvous with the others, I doubt we will find anything of use in here." Lancer nodded before following his master to the exit. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end as they emerged from the church. Upon spotted Rin and Shirou a fair distance from the clearing along the tree line both warriors tensed. _Shit!_ Ashlin felt the attack coming before seeing it. The trees obscured Archer's line of sight, leaving both teenagers vulnerable.

"Lancer!" Ashlin shouted urgently while her command seal immediately activated. In a split second, Lancer found himself between Rin and Rider with the purple haired woman's chain wrapped tightly around Gae Bolg.

"My, aren't you the quick one," Rider commented, her voice smooth and bordering on seductive as she tugged the chain a bit. "Not quite fast enough, though." Lancer felt his eyes widen when a presence suddenly appeared behind him and Rin. Acting before thinking, Cú Chulainn reached behind himself to yank Rin to the ground, causing the attack meant for her to hit him instead. Lancer grunted as three blades pierced his back, slicing through flesh to exit through to his chest.

"Impressive, Lancer. Never in my wildest dreams did I think you could survive this long without a master. A pity you will die now." Before Kirei could thrust his second set of blades through her servant, Ashlin sent a blast of wind magic with her purgatory blade to destroy the surrounding trees and foliage, prompting Archer to unleash a barrage of arrows. Rider and Kirei sprung backwards to avoid the assault from the long-ranged servant, leaving Cú Chulainn to crippled to the ground.

"Lancer!" Rin shouted as she did her best to break his fall.

"Damn it, I should have seen that coming," he growled through clenched teeth, feeling blood pool in the back of his throat. Kirei's strike was deadly. His blades pierced both lungs and his heart simultaneously. Another blow might have actually killed him if not for Ashlin's quick thinking. He tried to stand only to collapse again as his lungs filled with blood. Rin was on his chest in an instant firing off healing spells one after another, trying to repair the damage. Glancing to the left he spotted Saber engaging Rider with Shirou not far behind. _But where is Ashlin?_ Things started to go dark as he searched for her, feeling only panic as he lost consciousness.

Ashlin felt freezing cold wash over her as she witnessed Lancer get stabbed in the back by his former master. A second blow would kill him for sure and she couldn't reach him, the distance was too great. Feeling terror set in she wrenched open the magical channel connecting them and poured as much mana into her servant as possible before summoning her legendary purgatory blade to annihilate the surrounding forest. As expected, Archer unleashed a torrent of attacks that pushed Kirei away from Lancer, and Shirou quickly summoned Saber. While Saber engaged Rider, Ashlin requipped into Flight armor and went straight for Kirei. Fury and panic twisted inside her as she sent another blast of wind from her enchanted blade. It narrowly missed the false priest as he dove into the destroyed church, hiding himself from Archer's assault.

"My, my, you certainly are strong. And are those command seals on your pretty little hand? I see Lancer has been very busy while I've been away." Kirei's voice echoed off the walls as Ashlin pursued him inside. She stopped at the entrance briefly before advancing into the dark wreckage, her keen eyes searching for any form of movement. "Ah, and you bare the Fairy Tail emblem as well. It has been a very long time, Ashlin Tosaka."

"Shut up!" She roared, blasting an entire wall apart. She could hear his laughter fill the hall after that.

"I must say, you certainly did grow into quite the pretty little thing. I bet Lancer dreams of fucking you every night, I know I would." Ashlin felt her fists shake with rage as she proceeded to blow another hole in the wall. The church groaned after that, threatening to collapse.

"Get down here and face me," she snarled, seething with fury. "You haven't a prayer of winning against me, Kirei."

"We'll see about that, darling." A sickly chemical smell suddenly caught Ashlin's attention, causing her to flash backward when Kirei lunged at her. His triple blades dripped with what smelled like poison.

"Your arrogance is staggering," she hissed before flashing behind him and lashing out, slashing his back and slicing off the arm holding all his command seals. Kirei's face contorted into a look of pain and surprised after that.

"You bitch!" He snarled through his teeth as he dropped to the ground, grasping at the stump where his arm use to be.

"Now listen closely you pathetic excuse for a human," Ashlin growled lowly while advancing on him. "This is your only warning. You are going to leave this place forever. You will never look at me or Rin again, and you will never lay a finger on the people we care about." Kirei's eyes widened as she continued to approach him, terror flickering across his face. He scooted away until his back hit the altar. "If I ever see you again," Ashlin continued to hiss menacingly, "I will kill you. And I will make it painful and slow, just the way you like it." To exercise her point, she grabbed his severed arm from the floor and lit it on fire, dropping the charred remains at his feet before turning to leave.

"What? So after all that you're going to let him live?" Ashlin stilled at the sudden presence of a very powerful spirit.

"Gilgamesh," Kirei croaked as he made to crawl toward the demi god. "Help me. Kill this ugly bitch!" The golden spirit simply cocked an eyebrow at his master.

"Ugly? My friend, I do believe your eyes have stopped working. Her beauty is fit for a king and her skill even more so. Indeed, I believe she will make a fine edition to my collection once I summon the Grail and rid the world of its worthless humans."

"What?" Ashlin whispered under her breath. She watched while Gilgamesh approached his master and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Consider yourself blessed my dear." The golden archer's words were directed at her. Suddenly, he thrust his right hand directly into Kirei's chest, ripping out his still beating heart. Gilgamesh smiled at Ashlin as blood splashed across his face. "Should you survive, I will welcome you into my harem to enjoy all the pleasures this world has to offer!" Seeming satisfied, the he turned to leave.

"Wait! What are you going to do?" Ashlin shouted after him.

"I'm going to summon the Grail, of course! I have all the necessary pieces. Whether your servants live or die will make no difference now. In three days' time, the Grail shall open a portal to hell and rain curses down upon this land. Only those strong enough to survive shall be worthy to serve me!" His smile was near maniacal as the golden archer vanished from her sight.

Ashlin stumbled out of the church feeling completely and utterly defeated. Her body felt numb while she trudged along, her brain trying to process the implications of Gilgamesh's plan. _I knew that fuckin thing was evil!_ She vaguely took notice that the battle between Saber and Rider appeared to be over.

"ASH!" She heard Rin suddenly scream. Her little sister sat with tears streaming down her face next to a motionless Lancer. Ashlin felt her heart stop cold at the sight. "Ash, I don't know what to do! I've healed everything but he still isn't waking up," Rin sobbed uncontrollably as she threw herself down on the blue warrior's chest. Panic fought to consume Ashlin when she flashed quickly to Rin's side and examined Lancer. The wounds to his chest were perfectly healed but his breathing remained labored and his pulse was erratic. _Shit, the poison!_ Wasting no time, she quickly reached into her weapons stores, grabbed Rule Breaker, and slammed the weapon into Lancer's chest.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Rin shrieked in alarm before she quickly snatched the weapon away from her older sibling.

"Poison," Ashlin replied shakily, silently praying the noble phantasm would reverse the poison's effects. A few minutes felt like hours as the two sisters waited. "Cú Chulainn, please," Ashlin pleaded. "You promised. You promised you would stay with me," she choked, feeling tears begin to flow.

"Sétanta." She jumped when Lancer spoke.

"What?" She whispered, bending down to look at him. He smirked weakly before answering.

"My real name is Sétanta." Lancer grunted as Ashlin dropped onto him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He could feel hot tears run onto his skin and soak his tunic as she cried. His master trembled while gripping his shoulders tightly.

"Are you ok?" She finally asked, her voice shaking a bit.

"Yea, I'm going to be just fine," Lancer reassured her, letting his eyes close once more. His body felt heavy and his limbs were not responding well to commands, but he was alive. "Don't be scared," he instructed softly before allowing himself to drift off again. Lancer moved in and out of consciousness several times as Ashlin carefully lifted him off the ground and settled him on her back. He felt his arms brush something smooth and sleek. _Wings?_ He wondered curiously before the soft feeling of her hair against his cheek lulled him back into unconsciousness.

Ashlin felt the air surge beneath her when she took flight into the night sky, the black armor she wore offering some camouflage in the darkness as she carried her injured servant home. Rin and Shirou remained on the ground well protected by Archer and Saber. Lancer had been so close to death. Ashlin felt sick when memories of his still body flashed before her eyes. She bit back a sob as she flew. She could feel the walls of resistance crumbling around her, leaving her bare before him. _Damn it, this can't be happening. I can't love him._ But she did. She could continue to deny it all she wanted but in the end it would be a lie. In truth she was completely, head over heels, irrationally and madly in love with the blue lancer. _With Sétanta._

Ashlin couldn't help but smile a bit through her tears as she carried Lancer into the small cottage they shared, having finally accepted her feelings. She was still trembling when she laid him down on the bed and crawled in next to him, pulling the covers over both of them. She rested her head on his shoulder and inhaled deeply through her nose. The scent of dew covered grass and mountain streams quickly consumed her, and Ashlin eventually drifted off to sleep imagining the beautiful country where Sétanta was born.


	5. Chapter 5

WARNING: This chapter contains lemons. This chapter is optional- you may skip it and the rest of the story will still make sense.

Cú Chulainn woke to the pitter patter of rain against the window. He furrowed his brow in confusion, trying to remember why he had been sleeping in the first place. _That's right, I was injured..._ His body felt sore but otherwise intact. As the memories flooded back Lancer couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency. There were many questions he needed answers to, and he certainly didn't have time to be laying around. However, when he moved to get up he felt a pressure on his shoulder. Lancer stilled as Ashlin came into view. She was curled tightly against his body, holding him as if he were the only thing anchoring her to the world. There were tear stains on her face and her clothes were in tatters but to him she never looked more beautiful. Giving in to temptation a bit, he allowed himself to brush some strands of hair away from her face. He was rewarded with a small sigh of contentment before Ashlin's ebony eyes fluttered open meet his.

"You're awake," she spoke softly with a lazy smile, sleep still clinging to her.

"Yea, I'm alright. Just like I said I would be," he replied with a characteristic smirk, letting his fingers trail down her cheek for a bit. Ashlin considered him for a moment as her eyes traced across his handsome face. Lancer took notice and watched her curiously. She had never given him that look before. His master appeared to be contemplating something before she suddenly reached up and pulled him into a kiss. Her lips were gentle and yet insistent as she sealed them over his. Lancer felt his eyes drift closed and he hazily wondered if this was a dream before readily kissing her back. His hand moved into her hair to tilt her head slightly, deepening the kiss. He felt Ashlin's hands slide up his neck and he couldn't help but smirk a bit when she removed the metal clasp holding his hair, letting the long strands spill across his back and over his shoulders. Reluctantly, Lancer allowed her to pull away and break the kiss.

"Something you want to tell me?" He asked, sounding surprised. She didn't answer and instead pulled him in for another kiss, this one more demanding. Ashlin pulled his body over hers and raked her nails down his back, causing him to shudder and instinctively press her harder into the mattress. His body started to heat up as her tongue invaded his mouth, making him feel dizzy while she thoroughly kissed him. He gripped her hips tightly as his own tongue responded in kind, eliciting a gratified moan from the woman beneath him. _I need to stop soon,_ he told himself before moving to her neck, earning him more contented moans and sighs.

"Lancer," she gasped when he found a particularly sensitive spot. Cú Chulainn found his mouth working on its own as he licked, nipped and sucked the area until Ashlin was all but writhing under him. She cried his name softly, panting as he tortured her. _Shit! I need to stop right NOW!_ Lancer immediately halted his ministrations and lean his forehead against her collarbone. His breathing was heavy.

"What are we doing, Ash?" He asked slowly, trying to control himself. When she didn't answer he raised his head to look at her and was shocked to find tears rolling down her beautiful face. Lancer instantly pulled away and stood from the bed, taking a few steps back as he did so. Ashlin looked startled at his sudden movement and stared at him strangely before an exasperated sigh passed her lips.

"You didn't hurt me, you silly man."

"Then why are you crying," he asked pointedly. Ashlin bit her lower lip and didn't respond for a moment.

"Gilgamesh has the Grail, Lancer. He will activate it in three days' time." She watched his eyes widen at her words. "Once activated, he will use it to purge the world, destroying everything." Lancer was silent as he let her revelation sink in.

"And I will be gone," he added with a bitter smile, realizing his time was about to run out. Ashlin moved to stand in front of him with her head lowered, tears dripping down her face.

"But I don't want you to go," Lancer heard her whisper before her arms came to wrap slowly around him. "I'm not ready for you to leave." Cú Chulainn felt his heart hammering as he forced her chin up so he could look at her, and what he saw finally pushed him over the edge. "Lancer, I think I'm-" Ashlin was unable to finish her statement when she found herself suddenly pressed against the wall, locked in her servant's grip. His mouth was on her neck again but this time he was rougher, almost wild.

"I'm in love with you, Sétanta," she gasped with a breathy moan while he attacked the sensitive area he found earlier. One of his hands rested on the small of her back while the other roamed over her stomach, her hip, and then down farther. She felt him play with the hem of her skirt a bit before slipping his hand underneath to trail over her upper thigh. He stopped when his fingers brushed her panty line. Lancer seemed to hesitate and Ashlin felt his lips stop on her neck for a moment. Sensing his uncertainty, Ashlin cupped his cheek and pulled his eyes up to meet hers. "Sétanta," she reassured him. "If I could have the Grail grant me one wish, I would ask to spend this night with you."

"Are you sure, lass?" He asked seriously, searching her eyes for any doubt. She simply smiled at him and nodded her head.

"Yes, I'm sure." Feeling all resistance crumble, Cú Chulainn swiftly captured her mouth in a passionate kiss and hooked his thumb around her panties. The tiny article of clothing soon dropped to the floor, leaving her skirt as the only barrier between them. Once the panties were off, Lancer promptly lifted her off the ground and guided her legs to wrap around his waist, effectively pinning her to the wall with his body. He could feel her trembling beneath him.

"Relax," he whispered into her hair while he leisurely unbuttoned her blouse, taking time to enjoy the small noises she made as he pressed his still clothed body firmly against hers. Ashlin let out a loud moan when he rocked into her and Lancer could feel desire starting to take him as he thrust harder the next time. Ashlin's blouse soon dropped to the floor next to her panties, leaving her mostly bare before him. Ashlin's hands moved to tangle in Lancer's hair while he began to kiss down the center of her chest, and she shuddered when one of his hands came up to caress her soft curves through the fabric of her bra. With a flick of his wrist, Lancer brought one of the straps down, giving him easier access to the supple flesh underneath. Ashlin gasped and tried to recoil from his actions, a scarlet blush rapidly spreading across her face. She heard Lancer chuckle a bit before he fixed her with a devious smirk. Without warning he dipped his head down to capture the exposed pink bud in his mouth.

"Lancer…" Ashlin moaned as his mouth played with the sensitive skin. Cú Chulainn smiled a bit when he felt her undoing his shoulder plates and subsequently tossing them to the ground. Deciding to assist her, he allowed the material covering his torso to dematerialize under her fingers. She sucked in a breath, causing him to glance up at her curiously. However, before he could resume his previous activities Ashlin began to drag her hands down his toned chest and across his abdomen, drawing an appreciative groan from the blue warrior holding her. Driven by the need to satisfy her servant, Ashlin raked her nails down his back and moved her lips to ghost across his bare chest. This earned her a few more approving sounds as Lancer's hands moved to grip her backside. Feeling bolder, Ashlin unclasped her own bra and tossed it to the ground with her other discarded clothing. She then proceeded to pull Cú Chulainn into a fervent kiss, pressing herself fully against him. Lancer shuddered at the contact, his control quickly slipping.

"Fuck, Ash… I need to take you soon," he groaned before suddenly gripping her hips and hoisting her up onto his shoulders so her legs rested on either side of his head. Lancer swallowed her yelp of surprise with a demanding kiss before slipping a finger inside her. Ashlin felt her vision go white for a second as he began to slowly pump in and out, and she could feel heat quickly starting to pool between her legs as Lancer worked. She bit back a scream when he inserted a second finger.

Lancer frowned a bit when his master remained mostly silent, keeping her face buried into his hair. He missed hearing her moans and sighs. She was panting heavily and he could feel her walls tightening around him. _So why won't you moan? Come on Ash, scream for me._ Feeling impatient, Cú Chulainn removed his fingers and swiftly moved to insert his tongue instead. An immense feeling of satisfaction washed over him as she cried out, his name rolling off her lips.

Ashlin struggled in vain to hold back her screams when Lancer's tongue invaded her. His actions had her seeing stars and her brain was struggling to process what was happening. Granted she had some experience in the bedroom but this was completely new. The sensation was unreal and Ashlin found herself slowly being engulfed by it.

"Lancer, please," she pleaded, her thighs tightening around his head. At her words, Ashlin suddenly felt her body drop as her servant forcefully ripped off her skirt and pulled her down to rest with her legs around his waist. She gasping when something hard and warm pressed against her core. Ashlin shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the powerful warrior holding her to plunge himself inside. She was surprised however, when he did not.

"Ashlin?" Cú Chulainn questioned, his voice low and strained with the effort of controlling himself. His crimson eyes were dark with desire. Ashlin felt her body unconsciously relax in his grip, all lingering traces of doubt vanishing when she realized what he was asking.

"You won't hurt me," she assured him while cupping his face gently in her hands. "I'm yours, Sétanta." Lancer could have sworn a damn broke inside him as he surged into her, burying himself completely. An overwhelming sense of gratification consumed him while he listened to her pleasured moans and screams. She cried out in ecstasy as he moved inside her, his thrusts fast and direct.

Cú Chulainn did not consider himself to be a gentle lover. Unrestrained he was wild and rough, behaving in the bedroom much like he did on the battlefield. _And yet, she doesn't seem to mind. In fact…_ Lancer could scarcely contain himself when his pretty little master dug her fingernails into his back and urged him to go faster, to thrust harder. Throwing her on the bed Lancer did just that. He took Ashlin in every position he could think of, sending her toppling over the edge several times. He was a man possessed, a man determined to claim her so thoroughly that not a soul would dare question his right to her.

As his body reached the edge, Lancer pulled Ashlin on top so he could see her. Her eyes were clouded with desire and her slender body was covered in a thin sheet of sweat. Cú Chulainn watched completely captivated as she moved on top of him, driving his thrusts up to meet her rolling hips. He sucked in a breath when he felt her walls tighten around him. Reacting quickly, he grabbed Ashlin and thrust himself deep inside of her, letting her name tumble from his lips as he climaxed.

"Sétanta!" Ashlin cried out as she too was brought over the edge, her body subsequently collapsing onto him. Her breathing was heavy and she shook with a combination of pleasure and exhaustion. She felt her body moving as Lancer repositioned them. He pulled her to him until she was nuzzled against his shoulder, his arms wrapped securely around her. Ashlin felt overcome with a feeling of absolute completion and contentment while she rested in her servant's arms. Her eyes flutter closed and eventually her body succumbed to sleep's temptation.

"I love you," Lancer murmured quietly before his master drifted off. He couldn't help but grin down at her. _You never cease to amaze me,_ he mused, quite pleased, as he played with a strand of Ashlin's hair. Whether she realized it or not Lancer wasn't sure, but her actions that night had done far more than advance their relationship. Under normal circumstances, sexual relations between a master and servant helped facilitate mana exchange between the two parties. It was an archaic but useful method that could be employed if mana transference were to become disrupted. In his case, Ashlin flooded her already overwhelming magic energy into him and damn could he feel it. Gae Bolg was practically humming with excitement. Lancer couldn't help but wonder how powerful he was going to be at the end of these three days. A devious smirk crept across his face as he pictured all the places she might "facilitate mana exchange" with him tomorrow.

Electing not to worry about what would happen when the Grail was activated, Lancer simply spent the night watching over her. _I belong to you, Ashlin. Don't ever forget that._

Ashlin let her eyes slowly open as the sun's light crept through the bedroom window, a lazy smile spreading across her face when memories from the previous night came flooding back. Her body felt pleasantly sore as she rolled over to search for the blue haired lancer. Her eyes came shooting open, however, when he wasn't there. Ashlin sat bolt upright in bed, a sense of dread filling her. _Where is he? No… Please, no. Gilgamesh can't have activated the Grail yet!_ Fear clawed at her mind as her thoughts raced and her heart started to pound wildly. Ashlin was so distracted that she almost failed to notice the bedroom door open. A wave of relief washed over her a moment later.

"Morning, princess," Lancer greeted with a characteristic smirk as he strode through the door, his eyes trailing downwards when he looked at her. Following his gaze, Ashlin quickly yanked the blanket up to her chin, effectively hiding her state of undress.

"My eyes are up here you know!"

"Yep, and those are nice too."

"Lancer!"

"What's the problem? You certainly didn't seem to mind baring it all to me last night," he commented with a sly grin, chuckling when a fresh blush appeared on Ashlin's face. "In fact, if I recall correctly, last night was _your_ idea." Ashlin tried desperately to think of a witty retort but failed. In the end she simply pulled the blanket over her head and collapsed backwards on the bed, letting out an exasperated sigh.

"I see you're back to teasing me again."

"I never stopped. Don't you remember how much fun I had teasing you last night?" He asked with a roguish grin as he made to stand near the bed. "If you come out, I promise to tease you some more," he offered, his voice sounding more seductive by the second. Ashlin simply wrapped the blanket tighter around herself, desperately trying keep some space between them as Lancer began to run his hand down her body. His touch was still burning despite the blanket acting as a barrier.

"Lancer, I don't think we should- eek!" Ashlin shrieked when her servant literally ripped the blanket off her and scooped her up.

"Hey! Gimme back my blanket!" She yelled in indignation, shuddering as the cold air hit her skin.

"Nope."

"Right now!"

"Not happening."

"Lancer!" He couldn't help but laugh at the furious woman in his arms, finding her death glare rather endearing while he carried her down the hall.

"Relax, you'll be warm in a few seconds," he promised before kicking the bathroom door open. Ashlin stopped her protests immediately as humid air washed over her. Without skipping a beat, Lancer allowed his armor to dematerialize and he lowered them both into the warm water of the tub, settling Ashlin in between his legs. "There, all better," he declared.

"This is just an excuse to see me naked," she accused, albeit rather halfheartedly.

"It worked," he replied with a smirk. Ashlin simply rolled her eyes and sunk down into the water, trying to ignore the blush staining her cheeks. _The water is too hot, that's all._ Ashlin almost had herself convinced until Lancer shifted and quickly reminded her of where she was currently sitting. Her back was pressed against his chest with her rump resting dangerously close to another part of his anatomy. She bit the inside of her lip and shut her eyes tightly as her cheeks heated up even more. _This is ridiculous… We have sex, albeit amazing sex, one time and all of a sudden I'm a blushing schoolgirl?! I'm a warrior, damn it! I'm-_ Ashlin was yanked out of her thoughts when Lancer suddenly trailed his fingers up her arm.

"What are you doing?" She squeaked more than demanded, recoiling a bit.

"Jeez, you sure are jumpy today, master," he mused innocently as he picked up a washcloth and ran it over her shoulders. Ashlin shuddered at the contact.

"I can do it myself," she asserted defiantly, trying to swipe the cloth from him. He pinned her hands down easily by wrapping his free arm around her. _Damn, he definitely got stronger last night._

"Its fine, I've got it," Lancer breathed into her ear. "I've been waiting a long time to do this," he continued as he trailed the washcloth gently over her neck and collarbone, and then downwards. His other arm gripped her body firmly. "The last time we were here, I controlled myself. But not this time, Ash. This time I'm going to touch you _everywhere._ " Lancer's voice was low and rough, sending her heart racing. She sucked in a breath when his hand dropped dangerously low to ghost across her chest.

"What do you mean by 'last time'?" She asked shakily, trying to hold back a moan.

"Last time we were here, of course," Lancer replied against her neck as he kissed it. He sounded amused. "You teased me last time. You sat with your back to me, hiding everything, and expected me to control myself." Ashlin felt her eyes widen when she remembered. That was the night he carried her home, bruised and bloody, after the fight with Caster. He had drawn her a bath and then she asked him to- _Oh god. That did happen, didn't it._ She asked her servant, who was clearly enamored with her, to not only touch her naked body but to restrain himself from acting on every impulse surging through him at the time. Ashlin paled upon realizing Lancer was right. _I am a tease._ She sucked in a breath as Lancer moved his fingers down to trace circles over her stomach, leaving the washcloth abandoned.

"I believe this is where we left off," he breathed huskily into her ear before his hand drifted down to caress the milky skin of her hip and outer thigh.

"Lancer, I don't think we should- ah," Ashlin gasped when he moved to trail his fingers up her inner thigh. She clutched her legs together tightly, attempting to hinder his advance. Lancer frowned at this before smirking as a new idea came to mind. "We should be training," she tried again, ignoring every instinct in her body telling her otherwise. "We should be… I need to…" Ashlin felt her resolve crumbling quickly while her servant sucked and licked the sensitive area on her neck.

"Come on, Ash," Lancer purred as he brought his hand up to caress her breasts, feeling satisfied when she let out a moan. "Just let me have you. I promise to show you _everything_ you missed out on last time." She felt her body getting hot at his words.

"You… are trouble," she concluded, biting back more noises.

"You have no idea," he replied with a roguish grin before tightening his grip and suddenly shifting their positions. Ashlin found her backside resting on his hips with Lancer's knees between her legs as he effective laid her across his body. The arm that had been restraining her was now draped across the front of her shoulders, granting his hand easy access to the supple flesh of her chest. Ashlin turned to look at him curiously over her shoulder.

"What are you-" Lancer cut her off with a kiss, swallowing a loud moan as he suddenly inserted a finger inside her. He began pumping in and out, massaging the sensitive bundle of nerves with his thumb as he did so. God he loved how responsive she was. Ashlin panted and whimpered into the kiss, finally breaking it to throw her head back as a wave of pleasure swept through her body. Wanting more sounds, Cú Chulainn trailed his fingers over her breasts and began to play with a pink bud before inserting a second finger, smirking when her hips thrust up to meet him. She was getting close already. Lancer could feel her walls starting to tighten and he contemplated finishing her right then. However, her next words quickly changed his mind.

"Sétanta, please," Ashlin breathed, pleading with him to continue. Feeling his body instantly react, Cú Chulainn removed his fingers and swiftly thrust himself inside her, groaning loudly when she sat up and began to move on top of him. Lancer couldn't help but admire her backside as she rolled her hips into him, and he about lost it when she glanced over her shoulder to meet his gaze. The urge hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Fuck it," he grunted before abruptly sitting up to kneel behind Ashlin. Feeling all patience leave him, Lancer grabbed her hips roughly began to thrust fast and hard, moving even faster when she cried out his name. He felt reckless and out of control. The desire to claim this woman drove him wild and it wasn't long before they both climaxed, Ashlin's name tumbling from his lips. Before he knew what he was doing, Lancer spun Ashlin around and pulled her against his chest, burying his face into her damp hair.

"Sétanta?" She questioned, sounding concerned and a little breathless while wrapping her arms around his waist. He did not respond and merely tightening his grip. Lancer grit his teeth as images of a world without his master suddenly flashed before his eyes. He imagined the Grail consuming him, forcing him to leave Ashlin behind. Cú Chulainn felt cold as an unfamiliar emotion suddenly assaulted him. _This is fear_ , Lancer realized. His mind reeled from the revelation. It had been so long since he cared enough about something to fear losing it that he almost forgot what the emotion felt like.

"It's going to be alright," he heard Ashlin speak quietly, causing him to glance down at the small woman in his arms. Lancer felt like he was looking into a mirror as her gaze reflected his same fears. He kept his expression guarded, hiding his emotions but somehow Ashlin seemed to know. "I won't let you go without a fight," she stated calmly, quelling the turmoil inside him to a degree. "You're my partner, Sétanta. You have my heart and my loyalty, and together we are going to figure this out." She sounded determined, and Lancer allowed himself, for the briefest of moments, to believe her.


	6. Chapter 6

The earth cracked and trees splintered as master and servant collided. Their training sessions felt like all-out war for the past two days. The backside of the mountain was mostly decimated and several large craters were scattered across what was left of the forest floor. A magic barrier served as the only safeguard shielding them from prying eyes. Lancer was markedly more powerful now and Ashlin found herself struggling to keep up, even with the addition of purgatory armor.

"So is this how powerful you were when you were alive?" She asked, ducking under Gae Bolg as it sliced clean through one of the trees.

"Pretty close," Lancer replied with a grin, flashing behind her. Ashlin dodged another strike from the cursed spear and blocked an incoming kick. She winced as the force of the blow sent her several meters backward. His strength was indeed impressive.

"So you haven't completely reached full strength yet?"

"Almost, but not quite."

"Hmmm, I guess we should have more sex then," Ashlin mused, watching as Lancer stopped in his tracks to fix her with a stunned look. She couldn't help but laugh.

"So you knew about that? I wondered if you did."

"It's a nice perk, huh?"

"The best," he agreed as a devious smirk spread across his face. In an instant, he was immediately in front of Ashlin with Gae Bolg behind her back, holding her in place. She ducked out quickly when he made to kiss her.

"I didn't mean we should have sex right now!" She yelled, a scarlet blush making its way across her cheeks.

"There you go teasing me again."

"I am not a tease!"

"Sure, honey."

"I'm not!" He couldn't help but laugh as she crossed her arms over her chest and glowered at him. Lancer simply smirked before grabbing Ashlin and tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Why do you insist on carrying me this way? I swear you do it just to piss me off."

"I have other reasons." SMACK.

"Did you seriously just slap my ass?!"

"Nope, that was someone else."

"Lancer!"

It was near midnight when Archer returned from his reconnaissance mission. The air was still and the courtyard was silent as he passed through the gates to enter Shirou's compound. Only one full day remained until Gilgamesh activated the Grail and while Archer couldn't be sure exactly when it would happen he had a pretty good idea regarding where. Based on his observations, Ryuudou Temple was still blanketed in a thick smog of mana thanks to Caster, making it the perfect summoning grounds.

Electing to tell Rin about it in the morning, Archer leaped up to his usual post on the roof of the main building. He frowned a bit upon detecting Lancer's presence in Ashlin's room. While it was true the blue spearman's power was increasing with each passing day thanks to their "recreational activities", Archer rather doubted power was Cú Chulainn's main objective. Even a blind man could see he was in love with her. _You stupid fool. And Saber, you're not much better!_

The blonde swordswoman had the misfortune of being summoned by a compete novice who couldn't even supply her with mana and yet she protected him, repeatedly getting injured and nearly killed. Archer scowled as memories of his past self flashed before his eyes. _At least when I summoned Saber in my timeline she could function at full capacity._ Granted he hated Shirou for many reasons but leaving Saber in such a vulnerable state truly infuriated him. And worse, her mana had been suddenly restored yesterday. Conveniently. When no one was home.

"Am I seriously the only servant who hasn't banged my master?" Archer growled under his breath, scowling at no one in particular. Not that Rin wasn't pretty- _Oh shit! I am NOT making excuses for why I haven't fucked anyone yet. She's practically a child for god sakes!_ However, as much as he hated to admit it, the little spitfire had caught his eye. She was beautiful, intelligent, and incredibly skilled. _And young, definitely young!_ He mentally slapped himself. _God Rin, if only you were a few years older._

"Archer?" He visibly froze as Rin's voice drifted up to him. "Have you been back this whole time? Why didn't you tell me? I stayed awake waiting for you!" She sounded angry. Peering down from the roof, he couldn't help but notice how cute she looked in her long nightshirt with messy hair.

"My apologies, Master," he responded, sounding falsely disinterested as he jumped down to stand before her. "I assumed you would be sleeping."

"Well, I'm not." He smirked a bit, earning him an annoyed look from the petite mage. "Whatever," she finally grumbled before grabbing his hand and dragging him in the direction of her room. He cursed under his breath when his pulse sped up. _I'm going to burn in a special place in Hell for these thoughts, I just know it._

The soft light of the crescent moon crept silently through bedroom window, illuminating the small space and bathing the occupants in a warm glow. The atmosphere was serene as the pair simply enjoyed each other's presence. Ashlin was curled against her servant with her head on his shoulder and her right arm resting loosely across Lancer's torso. Her eyes fluttered closed and she let out a small sigh of contentment as he began to lightly trace his fingers over her tattoos, first over the Fairy Tail emblem and then down to the Fairy Glitter spell. He tried to imagine her world; the alternate timeline where she took up residence to protect Rin.

It was a well know fact that only the eldest child was raised to wield magic, and the younger siblings were often bartered or sold to other mage families lacking an heir. This would have been Rin's fate had her sister not intervened, and it was a fate the youngest sibling, Sakura, was unable to avoid. Ashlin went to extremes, literally ripping open a dimensional portal and fleeing from her own family, to ensure Rin obtained the Tosaka family crest. It was a crazy, completely insane idea and Lancer still couldn't believe Ashlin did it. It was several years later that Rin finally learned the truth and it took even longer for her to traverse the dimensions to visit. Despite her prowess, Rin only managed to cross over a few times, relying on the solstice to bring the dimensions closer together.

Rin didn't talk about her time in Fiore very often but every now and then Lancer got a glimpse into Ashlin's very amusing life. Per Rin's account, her entire guild was comprised of rowdy, unruly mages who loved to fight and frequently destroyed things. Brawls were a daily occurrence as were drinking contests, and apparently the barmaid was a demon. While Lancer wasn't sure if he believed the bit about the barmaid the rest seemed plausible. And for some reason Ashlin absolutely adored the crew of ruffians. They were her family. They were her brothers and sisters. _And maybe much more_ , Lancer realized, glancing down at the peaceful woman in his arms. He never even considered the possibility that she could have a romantic interest back home. It was stupid of him, really. Her looks alone would be sufficient to score any man she wanted _. And it's apparent she has at least some experience in the bedroom_ … Not that it mattered much. Ashlin clearly chose him and he had no intentions of leaving her, but still he wondered and, against his better judgement, Lancer decided to ask.

"Were there others before me?" He inquired, genuinely curious as he continued to trace along the Fairy Glitter tattoo. He half expected her to get mad and was relieved when she didn't.

"Only one," she replied, nestling up a little closer to him. He couldn't help but feel satisfied with her answer. Deciding to try his luck, he pressed a little further.

"What happened to him?"

"He died." The hand tracing her tattoo stopped suddenly. _That was not the answer I was expecting._

"Kayne was his name. We grew up together in Magnolia. Kayne, bless his soul, didn't have a magical bone in his body so while I studied to become a mage he became a knight in the Fiore army. Things were going well for a long time. He would come see me in between missions and I visited him in the capital whenever I could. However…" Ashlin paused for moment, as if debating whether or not to continue. Sighing deeply, she said, "About four years ago, Jackal, a member of the dark guild Tartaros, attacked the magic council. His curse decimated a large portion of the capital, destroying the council and killing over 100 people. Kayne was caught in the blast." Ashlin paused for a moment to keep her voice even. "Fairy Tail retaliated of course and eventually we defeated Tartaros. But the damage had already been done. Kayne was gone."

"I'm sorry," Lancer replied, finding no other words.

"I wasn't strong enough back then," Ashlin continued, sounding a little bitter as she recalled the events. "I couldn't protect anyone, they all ended up protecting me. It was the worst feeling imaginable- to feel useless."

"So you got stronger?" She nodded.

"After that, I travelled to Tenrou Island, the heart of my guild's magic, and knelt at the grave of Fairy Tail's first master. It was there that Mavis bestowed the Fairy Glitter spell on me. And mastering it sure wasn't easy… I damn near blew my arm off the first time I used it. Nearly gave Erza a heart attack," Ashlin spoke with a small chuckle and she recalled the event. Lancer felt an amused smile curving at the corners of his mouth as he tried to picture what a Fairy Glitter spell gone wrong looked like. He decided it was probably much MUCH funnier in hindsight.

"Who's Erza?" He asked suddenly.

"Oh! She's one of Fairy Tail's S-Class wizards. I trained under her for a very long time and actually most of the armor I wear is from her personal collection."

"Does she look as good in the armor as you do?" He inquired with a teasing smirk.

"Better."

"Hmmm, then I definitely want to meet her." Ashlin rolled her eyes and punched him playfully in the arm.

"So who trained you?"

"What?"

"Who taught you how to wield a spear?" She repeated, looking genuinely curious as she sat up to look at him.

"No one, I was born brilliant." Ashlin immediately moved to hit him again. "Fine, fine," he laughed, catching her hand. "But seriously, there was some natural talent involved."

"Yeah, I know. Your father was Lugh, the sun god of Irish mythology. He was well known for his prowess with many types of weapons, particularly the spear. And wasn't he also a magus?"

"Been doing some reading have we?" Lancer asked, an unreadable glint in his eyes.

"What? I was curious. Blame it on all the weird dreams I keep having about your past." Cú Chulainn felt his body unconsciously stiffen at her words.

"You've been having dreams?" He asked, careful to keep his voice even.

"Yeah, almost every night since we became partners. Why?" Lancer could have sworn his blood turned to ice as a wave of cold washed over him. It really shouldn't be surprising. It was common for masters to experience visions recounting important events in the lives of their servants; their greatest triumphs and gravest failures. Lancer felt his stomach churn as a particular memory surfaced.

"What did you see?" He pressed. Ashlin considered him for moment.

"Lots of things," she finally responded. "Most of the visions came in bits and pieces so it was hard to make sense of it all. From what I could tell, you were born in Ireland when it was still split into five nations. Your mother sent you away at a young age to join the army of Ulster, the Northern Kingdom ruled by King Conchobar. You caused all kinds of trouble," she stated pointedly.

"No, I didn't!"

"Oh really? Let me recount the mischief I watched. You killed master blacksmith Culann's guard dog, which is incidentally how you got your name. You smashed a shit ton of the spears in the castle and destroyed the King's chariot when he said you were too young to join the Red Branch. You attempted to kidnap princess Emer-"

"Ok, ok! So I was young and foolish once upon a time. I was still the king's favorite though," Lancer pointed out with a smug smirk. "So what else did you learn?"

"You trained under a powerful woman with long red hair in the Land of Shadows."

"Scáthach," Lancer corrected.

"Right. She bequeathed Gae Bolg to you and taught you rune magic. And then you tricked Queen Aoife into sleeping with you-"

"Hey! She lost that fight fair and square."

"She kicked your ass! The only reason you won was because you told her that her favorite chariot was falling off a cliff. You attacked when she was distracted and agreed to spare her if she would sleep with you. And you left when you found out she was with child…" She trailed off, turning her head away from him. The room seemed to grow colder at the mention of Aoife. Ashlin knew it wasn't fair to judge Lancer based on the past. It all happened nearly a thousand years ago but she couldn't help but feel disappointed with the way her servant handled the situation. However, she felt even worse thinking about how Aoife retaliated. "And then Queen Aoife, she-"

"Sent my own son, Connla, to kill me," Lancer finished, speaking through clenched teeth. "Had I known who the boy was, I would have let him finish me but that bitch cursed Connla so he could not give me his name and he could not back down from a fight. He was so strong. In the end, it was Gae Bolg that ended my son's life." Ashlin didn't know what to say. The legend of Cú Chulainn was tragic and filled with bloodshed, heartache, and pain. He defeated Queen Aoife and her army only to lose his son in a twisted turn of fate. He defeated the legions belonging to Queen Madb to protect Ulster but in exchange he was forced to use Gae Bolg to kill his best friend, Ferdiad. He spared Madb only to fall victim to her schemes and traps, and in the end, he was brutally killed and died after being pierced by his own spear. Ashlin couldn't help but let her eyes wonder over to the demonic weapon propped up against the night stand. It glowed crimson in the moonlight.

"That spear killed everyone I ever loved," Lancer declared bitterly while he reached for it. "It's good that I will disappear tomorrow. At least this way my cursed spear won't pierce your heart as well." He paused when Ashlin suddenly grabbed Gae Bolg out of his hands and placed it across her lap.

"It is just a tool, Sétanta. Nothing more," She stated firmly. "I am not afraid of it and I am not afraid of you." Lancer's eyes widened a fraction at her words. "I don't care about the past, all that matters to me is who you are right now. You are my servant. My partner. And tomorrow you are going to take this cursed spear and together we are going to fight for a new future."

The courtyard was eerily calm before the battle. Few in the compound slept and those that did were haunted with ghastly premonitions of the future. Hell was going to open up and the world was going to burn as a torrent of curses and demon spawn flooded across the Earth.

Rin sat on her bed in silent anticipation, unable to sleep as she awaited the return of her Archer. Once he arrived, the plan would be set into motion. She unconsciously trembled and pulled the blankets tighter around her small frame while unpleasant chills swept up and down her spine. Terror clawed persistently at her mind; she forced it down once more with a deep breath. Glancing out the window Rin noticed all the lights were off in Ashlin's cottage and she couldn't help but laugh a bit under her breath.

"Well, Ashlin doesn't seem too worried," she mumbled, marveling at how her older sister was able to sleep at a time like this. Rin felt a strong, almost childlike urge to go to Ashlin and curl up next to her in bed. She dismissed the thought quickly, electing to let Ashlin spend her last night with Lancer in peace. Dread and regret filled Rin as her thoughts strayed to the unlikely pair of lovers. Her sister had finally allowed another man close to her heart and he too was about to vanish. _I'm so sorry, Ash._

Cú Chulainn felt strangely calm as he sat with his back against the headboard of the bed with Ashlin curled against his chest. He ran his fingers absentmindedly through her hair, pondering her words. _If you could stay with me, would you?_ A silly question to be sure. Of course he would choose to stay but the fact that she asked him was intriguing. It felt like she was seeking permission. For what Lancer couldn't be sure but it was evident that his master was plotting something.

"What are you planning?"

"Something crazy."

"Crazy is good," Lancer mused while running his fingers down her bare back. Ashlin let out a sigh of contentment before moving up to let their eyes meet.

"I have no idea if my idea is going to work or not," she began seriously. "But I refuse to give up and let the Grail take you. I am going to fight beside you until I have nothing left to give."

"I know."

"Just stay close to me, alright?" Ashlin instructed, determination burning fiercely in her eyes. Lancer nodded.

"You really are one hell of a master," he declared with a large grin, watching as her cheeks turned a bit pink. Her eyes flitted to the window for a moment when Archer's presence entered the compound. "I guess our time is up," she heard Lancer state before he pulled her in for a searing kiss, his hands quickly roaming over her body. His touch felt urgent, like he was trying to commit every curve to memory. Lancer protested quite a bit when Ashlin broke the kiss.

"We can finish this after we kick Gilgamesh's shiny golden ass," she proclaimed, causing her servant to laugh as he held her tightly against his body. "So are you ready?"

"I'm ready," Cú Chulainn affirmed while releasing her from his grip. He watched as the blanket covering most of Ashlin's body slipped off when she stood, leaving her bare before him. Wordlessly she concealed her soft feminine curves under hard, calloused metal as Flame Empress Armor materialized around her. Following suit Lancer quickly requipped into black armor and together the pair made their way to the courtyard. He could feel Gae Bolg pulse with excitement as the thrill of battle surged through him. Ashlin and Lancer were the last to assemble outside the compound.

"So, everyone ready?" Ashlin asked with a smirk, confidence radiating off her in waves. It was contagious Rin decided as she felt some of her fear dissipate, a reassuring calm settling over the group at Ashlin's appearance. Rin could slightly make out the Fairy Tail crest peeking out from under her sister's armor. An identical emblem was present on Lancer's left shoulder, a result of the connection between master and servant.

"Alright then, let's go save the world!"


	7. Chapter 7

Ashlin's breath came in short gasps as she struggled against the aura emanating from the activated Grail. The air was stale, and the smells of ash and putrid smoke assaulted her while she ran. Her body felt heavy, like gravity itself had been altered. Peering up, Ashlin could see a pillar in the distance adorned with a glowing demonic orb. The satanic sphere ripped open the sky and was currently spewing curses down the pillar like thick black lava. The noxious material gathered at the pillar's base creating a large pool of poison and plague, and Ashlin watched in alarm as scores of nameless, faceless creatures crawled from the black sludge onto land.

"This is never ending," she heard Shirou yell in frustration as he and Rin struggled to keep the horde's numbers manageable. The two mages in addition to Archer's firing support had proven very effective at eliminating the monsters before they could disperse into the city to spread death and disease. However, they couldn't hold them back forever.

"This isn't good," Archer muttered to himself while moving quickly to snipe a particularly agile monster who managed to creep away. The beasts were growing stronger and spawning faster the longer the Grail remained active. Soon they would overrun the city. Glancing to his left he could see Lancer and Ashlin engaged in a ferocious battle with Gilgamesh while Saber battled Assassin. Archer felt like grinding his teeth in frustration. Gilgamesh needed to die. Soon.

Ashlin snarled when a particularly large monster equipped with claws and a large tail knocked her away from Lancer and Gilgamesh. The horde seemed intent on separating them as the demon spawn came over and over again, always targeting her. It didn't matter how many heads she cleaved off or chests she split open; the beasts just kept interfering. A fact that amused Gilgamesh greatly.

"They sure have taken a liking to you," the god-king observed with a snicker while sending a few of his weapons sailing her way, trying to pierce through the beast to skewer her. Lancer knocked the majority of the blades away before landing at her side. He was panting a little.

"We are getting nowhere," he observed with a grunt as he sliced through another beast.

"We need to kill him."

"I know, but I can't get close enough to land a blow and the second I stop moving to use my noble phantasm he will strike with damn near a hundred blades!" Ashlin didn't have time to comment as the pair leaped backward to avoid the assortment of weapons hurled their way by Gilgamesh. She felt a monster explode near her after Archer shot it. Adrenaline burned through her veins like acid as she took to the sky and sent a blast of fire magic at the smirking god-king, decimating much of the temple he was currently standing on. The sound of Gilgamesh's hysterical laughter filled her ears after that.

"Valiant effort my dear! Very amusing!" He applauded with enthusiasm, looking quite entertained as he raised one of his hands. Ashlin paled when golden portals suddenly opened in every direction, encircling her while she hovered in mid-air. Reacting instantly, she curled into a tight ball and requipped into adamantine armor. The explosion drowned out her scream as Gilgamesh's enchanted blades shattered parts of the armor and sliced into her skin, sending her plummeting toward the ground. White hot pain consumed her senses.

"Ash! Ash you need to breathe!" Lancer's panicked voice ripped through her subconscious, prompting her to inhale deeply. Ashlin immediately regretted it when agonizing pain rushed into her chest and flooded into her neck and skull, causing her to nearly black out. "Again," he ordered forcefully. Ashlin complied, coughing and gasping as her lungs stretched her injured ribcage. Life seemed to rush back into her body with the oxygen and her eyes flew open. Lancer was supporting her weight with one arm while the other defended against Gilgamesh's relentless assault.

"Shit," Ashlin grunted as razor-like pain racked her system. She was a bloody mess but nothing vital seemed to be damaged.

"You alright?" Her servant asked sharply, his eyes remaining fixed on Gilgamesh.

"Yes, I think so-" Ashlin's reply was cut short as a heavy weight slammed into them from behind, sending her hurling forward to smash through the only remaining temple wall. Her vision went white while a new wave of pain swept through her nervous system. She could feel panic rise up in her chest as thunderous footsteps approached. Despite the agony threatening to consume her, Ashlin bolted out of the rubble to scarcely avoid the crushing blow of a rather enormous creature. It was faceless like the others. Onyx scales decorated the beast and a long reptilian tail trailed behind its clawed feet. The monster tilted its head to the side for a moment, as if considering her. Then it lunged.

Ashlin jumped backward with a start, narrowly escaping the creature's monstrous grasp. Its speed was uncanny, and it was clearly much stronger than the previous demon spawn. Glancing around, Ashlin felt her stomach drop when she spotted more creatures like the one she was fighting start to emerge from the noxious lake. She could feel her Fairy Glitter tattoo pulsing urgently as she dodged another attack from the beast. _Damn it, I need to destroy the Grail!_ She thought, frustration beginning to evolve into panic. She needed to remain stationary while reciting the incantation for Fairy Glitter and clearly the Grail did not intend to allow that. Sensing more creatures approaching, Ashlin requipped into flight armor and swiftly decapitated the nearest beast. Disgust filled her for a moment as she observed the dead creature. _These monsters don't even bleed…_ A flash of light suddenly caught her attention.

"Ah, so the legends are true. You are indeed half god, son of Lugh," Gilgamesh declared, sounding like he just made a great discovery. Ashlin felt her stomach drop after turning towards his voice. Lancer was completely immobilized in a web of golden chains that protruded through several Babylonian gates. The chains coiled and tighten around him, much like an enormous snake. "Well that certainly is unfortunate… You see, these chains are very special. The Chains of Heaven, as they are known, are my anti-divine noble phantasm. The more godly my target the stronger the binding becomes."

"Heh, so you fear my spear so much you would seek to incapacitate me with a cheap trick," Lancer taunted, wincing a bit when the chains suddenly tightened around his neck.

"You forget your place, spearman," Gilgamesh hissed, clearly not amused. "For that I am going to separate each of your limbs one by one. But first I think I'll have you kneel." Lancer grunted and tensed, trying to resist as the chains forced him onto his knees, pulling him into a bow. "Don't bother struggling, only a heavenly weapon can break these chains. Now, submit to your fate you insignificant dog!"

Everything happened at once. Acting on pure instinct, feeling more than knowing what needed to be done, Ashlin requipped into Heaven's Wheel Armor. Time seemed to freeze as the two heavenly objects resonated loudly with one another, causing Gilgamesh to pause in surprise. The opportunity was not lost on Archer, who took full advantage of the situation by hammering the god-king with a bombardment of arrows as Ashlin used her circle swords to cleave through the golden chains. Archer was relentless in his assault and once Lancer was free Ashlin joined him, countering Gilgamesh's weapons with her own. She couldn't help but smirk wickedly when a familiar demonic aura surged from behind her. Determined to give Lancer his opening, she flashed within striking range of Gilgamesh. As expected, he took the bait. The golden spirit turned all his attention to her as hundreds of Babylonian gates flew open around him.

"Mongrels! I will kill you all!" He roared as a barrage of weapons tore through the gates and hurdled toward her. They disintegrated in mid-air when Lancer's noble phantasm hit its mark.

"It's over, Gilgamesh. You lost."

"No, no this can't be happening," the god-king choked while blood poured from his mouth. His hands gripped the shaft of Gae Bolg shakily, as if he did not believe the object was real. The demonic spear was lodged in his chest and emanated a satisfied glow as it consumed the remnants of his heart. "I- I am a king! King of Heroes," Gilgamesh continued to rasp as his grip on Gae Bolg tightened and he abruptly pulled the spear from his chest. "I cannot be beaten," he insisted weakly while stumbling toward Ashlin. "You cannot defeat me, you have not…" his voice trailed off before he subsequently crumbled to the ground, eyes finally glazing over. Soon after, his body completely dematerialized.

"Ashlin, do it NOW!" Archer roared, quickly snapping Ashlin out of her trance. She stumbled a bit when a blast wave from Saber's noble phantasm rocked the earth. Strong hands grasped her shoulders, stabilizing her.

"It's now or never, Ash," Lancer spoke, his eyes betraying his emotions as he gripped her tighter. She stared at him for a brief moment.

"Do you trust me?" She asked urgently. A brief nod was all Ashlin needed before she immediately plunged Rule Breaker into his chest. Lancer felt his eyes widen and the air leave his lungs as every ounce of mana seemed to instantly drain from his body. He felt suddenly cold as the bond connecting them shattered. He was vaguely aware of Ashlin supporting his weight.

"Why?" Lancer gasped, watching through blurred vision as the command seals decorating her right hand vanished.

"It's going to be okay," she replied, tears rolling down her face, before she began the incantation for Fairy Glitter. The ground underneath them promptly erupted into a giant magic circle and golden light surged toward the sky, just as it had while fighting Berserker. However, Lancer was astounded to discover that this time the energy felt alive. It danced and sang, laughed and cried. Cú Chulainn could feel it rushing into him, mending his wounds and breathing life into his formless soul. With every syllable Ashlin spoke the energy grew louder and louder until its warmth and radiance were almost overwhelming. And then the magic peaked.

"Shine your light! So that I may vanquish the fangs of wickedness! Fairy Glitter!" The spell was blinding and Lancer quickly found himself being swept away in the cascade. He wondered vaguely if this was what heaven felt like before all consciousness was lost to him.

As the dust cleared, Archer couldn't help but grin. The Grail was completely and thoroughly destroyed along with all traces of the demon horde. Rin and Shirou were cheering like fools and dancing around the clearing while Saber rested peacefully against what was left of a demolished tree. "Well, that certainly went better than I expected," he murmured while stretching toward the sky. He could tell his time was coming to a close. In fact, his body had already begun to flicker in and out of existence. Saber appeared to feel it as well. She called Shirou over and after a brief conversation he appeared to be crying. Archer rolled his eyes before noticing Rin staring pointedly in his direction. It never failed to amaze him how the small mage could be bossy without actually speaking. He chuckled a bit before making his way to her. Truthfully, Archer was going to miss Rin terribly and he planned to keep a close eye on her at every opportunity he got as a Guardian. Not that he would tell her that though… Glancing over at Lancer's unconscious form he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. _You lucky bastard. She actually managed to save you._

Ashlin watched with sad eyes as Saber and Archer slowly faded from earth's plane. She longed to say goodbye but found herself unwilling to leave Lancer's side, fearing that he may vanish as well. His body did not appear to be receding, and she dared to hope that the magic instilled within the Fairy Tail emblem was strong enough to keep him anchored. Ashlin was no longer supplying him with mana. The mana exchange process was instantly destroyed when she used Rule Breaker. The jagged dagger obliterated Lancer's connection to the Holy Grail, thereby severing his connection to Ashlin's command seals and mana as well. While dangerous, this was the only way to completely break the Grail's hold. In the absence of the Grail's magic, the sole connection remaining between the two of them was the Fairy Tail emblem she placed on his arm. The emblem was imbued with ancient properties that protected its bearers from sickness and death, and Ashlin prayed the magic of the Fairy Tail crest combined with the energy from Fairy Glitter would be enough. A heavy sigh left her lips.

"You better wake up," Ashlin mumbled as she settled herself on the ground next to him, exhaustion finally catching up with her. She sat with her knees to her chest and grabbed one of his hands, tightly squeezing it. _Come on, Sétanta. I know you're in there._

Ashlin almost jumped when the servant in question stirred. Lancer's movements were slow and groggy, as if he'd just woken from a long slumber but nevertheless his fingers curled tightly around her hand. His eyes opened slowly to stare up at the blue sky before moving downwards to settle on Ashlin. Her face was tired, bloody and battle worn, but her eyes shone like embers in the dark; brimming with emotion. Never before had someone looked at him with such affection. Without a word, Cú Chulainn instantly pulled her down for a kiss. Ashlin jumped in surprise but responded quickly when his hands buried themselves in her disheveled hair. Her heart raced as his lips claimed hers fervently, almost insistently. Lancer didn't stop until she was thoroughly kissed, leaving her flushed and a little dizzy when he pulled back.

"So, did we win?" Ashlin stared at him incredulously for a moment before bursting into a hysterical fit of laughter. She gripped her sides tightly and gasped for air, causing Lancer to fix her with a look of bewilderment. She finally nodded her head. "The Grail was destroyed?" He pressed.

"Yes," Ashlin replied, wiping tears from her eyes while her laughter subsided.

"And I'm still here…" Lancer's voice trailed off as realization dawned on him. His eyes widened and he sat bolt upright, taking Ashlin with him. "Ash, I'm still here!"

"I know," she replied with a chuckle, finding his astonished look quite funny. "What? You doubted me?" She teased.

"Eh, I gave it like a 50/50 chance," Lancer replied with a toothy grin, earning him a swift smack in the arm. He was going to complain but stopped mid-sentence when Ashlin's eyes suddenly widened and she moved to stare at something behind him. Lancer glanced over his shoulder curiously.

"Well, I'll be damned," he breathed in disbelief. There was Archer with his hands tangled in Rin's hair and his lips pressed firmly against hers. Rin's hands rested on his chest and despite her startled look Cú Chulainn took notice of how she was not pushing him away. "You have got to be kidding me," Lancer growled as he stood up, feeling surprisingly protective of the little mage. He made to stalk over to Archer but stopped when Ashlin caught his arm in a vice grip.

"Don't you dare ruin this for them," she hissed.

"Me ruin it? She's practically a child and he's like a million years older than her!"

"So what? Lancer, you're almost a thousand years older than me."

"That's different!" He insisted fiercely, causing Ashlin to roll her eyes.

"You just don't like him."

"Damn right I don't like him! He's a bastard," Lancer asserted before violently turning his head and roaring, "Archer, what the fuck do you think you're doing?!" The crimson bowman broke the kiss for a moment to fix him with a smug look before Rin grabbed his collar to pull him back down. Archer couldn't help but snicker a bit into the kiss at the sound of Lancer getting tackled to the ground by Ashlin.

"Was that really necessary?" Rin mumbled against his lips, her eyes still closed.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself. He just makes it too easy," Archer replied with a chuckle as his master moved to rest her head on his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Rin let out an exasperated sigh, feigning irritation while attempting to cover up the pit of sadness growing inside her. A choked gasped left her lips when his body flickered out of existence for a moment.

"Rin, listen to me," Archer spoke, his voice surprisingly gentle as he draped his arms around her small shoulders and kissed away a stray tear running down her cheek. "It's going to be fine," he continued softly before dipping his head.

Ashlin watched curiously from her place atop a struggling Lancer as Archer leaned down to whisper something to Rin. Whatever it was, it definitely had a calming effect on the younger mage. Rin's shoulders visibly relaxed and her eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas. Archer smiled fondly at her before allowing his body to completely dematerialize and vanish. Rin wiped the remainder of her tears away before peering in Ashlin's direction.

"You can let him go now," she spoke, sounding a little amused. Her older sister laughed a bit before climbing off the now very agitated blue spearman. It took Lancer mere seconds to cross the distance over to Rin. He stopped directly in front of her and stared at her for a moment, seemingly at a loss. Rin cocked her head to the side and Lancer noticed how a light blush was still painted on her cheeks.

"Listen you can't- Archer is such a… God damn it," he finally grumbled. Cú Chulainn let out an aggravated sigh before plopping a large hand on her head and ruffling her hair.

"Thanks, Lancer," Rin spoke quietly, a small smile present on her face.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, clearly not at all thrilled with the new development.

"So, are we ready to go home yet?" Ashlin's merry voice wafted over.

"Sure. At least I never have to see that damned Archer again- Ow!" Lancer shouted as Ashlin punched him, hard.

"Geez, could you feel at least a little empathetic for Rin?!"

"It's ok. Archer is actually a guardian and can manifest a physical form whenever he wants to. I'm sure he'll be back to visit real soon!"

"WHAT?!"

Epilogue

The quaint little streets of Magnolia were bustling with excitement as Ashlin made her way across town. The townspeople had certainly taken notice of her long absence; she was finding it difficult to reach her destination as they flocked to her. And the three mysterious companions accompanying her only served to attract more attention.

"Hey Ash! Where ya been, honey?"

"Yeah, you were gone forever."

"We were all worried!"

"I'm sorry, I took a job that lasted quite a bit longer than I expected," she explained, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment while the Baker, Barber, and Shopkeeper all took turns interrogating her.

"Oh, are these new friends of yours?" The plump, cheerful shopkeeper squealed in delight.

"Oh, uh yes! This is Illya, Kuzuki, and-"

"Lancer, ma'am," Cú Chulainn spoke up, offering the small woman a rather charming smile as he swooped down to kiss her hand.

"Oh my!" She squealed giddily. "You certainly found yourself quite the catch, pumpkin!" Ashlin cringed at the nickname and discreetly kicked her servant in the shin when he started to snicker at her expense.

"Indeed! A fine young man!"

"Hear, hear!"

"Oh my god, this isn't happening," Ashlin groaned as the townspeople started to cheer. Illya reveled in all the attention while Kuzuki seemed to shrink backwards, clearly not use to such blatant displays of enthusiasm. Lancer laughed jollily, shaking the hands of many villagers before a small voice caught his attention.

"Hey mister," Lancer glanced down curiously to find a small boy peering out from behind the shopkeeper's skirt. "Is it true that you and Ashlin are- umm-" the boy looked at all the people surrounding him before mouthing "together", using his fingers as quotation marks. A dark blush stained his little cheeks.

"It is," Lancer replied, looking amused. A disappointed look flitted across the child's face for a moment before he took a deep breath. He was shaking as he stepped out from behind his mother's skirt and Lancer couldn't help but notice the determination burning in his big blue eyes.

"Ok, then you have to make her happy. Ashy is my favorite person in the whole world so you have to make her happy no matter what!" The tiny boy asserted, standing his ground when Lancer took a step toward him.

"Laddie," Cú Chulainn spoke with a grin as he placed a hand on the child's head, "I promise to do my very best." Ashlin felt her cheeks heat up a bit at his words. Lancer ruffled the boy's hair before standing and asking, "So where's this guild hall that you talk so much about?"

"Right this way!" Ashlin declared loudly, quickly steering her companions away from the growing mob and down a side street.

She could hear the small boy shouting after them, "If she breaks up with you I get first dibs!" As they rounded the corner, Illya stopped dead in her tracks and Ashlin watched while her eyes filled with wonder.

"It's like a castle!" She gushed before making a mad dash towards the front door of the Guild hall. Ashlin chuckled before following her inside, keeping Lancer and Kuzuki in tow. The familiar smell of beer and home cooked food quickly filled her senses and she paused in the doorway, letting the sights and sounds of Fairy Tail wash over her. Ashlin was home.


End file.
